2023 BNC Booklet

TABLE OF CONTENTS Ontario Power Genera on................................p 2 Reporter of the Year..........................................p 38 President’s Message..........................................p 4 Photographer of the Year..................................p 39 Best Feature Photo, circ. 10,000 +.....................p 40 GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARDS Best Feature Photo, circ. - 9,999.......................p 41 Class 1 - circ. 1,999 & under.................................p 6 Best Photo Layout............................................p 42 Class 2 & 3 - circ. 2,000 - 6,499.............................p 7 Best Sports Photo.............................................p 43 Class 4 - circ. 6,500 - 12,499................................p 8 Best Spot News Photo......................................p 44 Class 5, 6 & 7 - circ. over 12,500..........................p 9 Best News Photo..............................................p 45 Class 8 - College & University............................p 10 Most Crea ve Grip and Grin Photo..................p 46 Community Service .........................................p 47 PREMIER AWARDS Best Front Page, circ. 10,000+...........................p 48 Arts & Entertainment.......................................p 12 Best Front Page, circ. - 9,999.............................p 49 Best Business & Finance Story...........................p 13 Best Ver cal Product........................................p 50 Best Editorial, circ. 10,000+.............................p 14 Best Sports Sec on...........................................p 51 Best Editorial, circ. - 9,999.................................p 15 Special Sec on.................................................p 52 Best Editorial Cartoon......................................p 16 Best Feature/Unit Pages...................................p 53 Best Editorial Page/Sec on..............................p 17 Best Crea ve Ad...............................................p 54 Educa on Wri ng............................................p 18 In House Promo on.........................................p 55 Environment Ontario.......................................p 19 Local Retail Layout............................................p 56 Feature Wri ng, circ. 10,000+..........................p 20 Original Ad Idea................................................p 57 Feature Wri ng, circ. - 9,999............................p 21 Best Use of Colour.............................................p 58 Health & Wellness............................................p 22 Best Online Experience....................................p 59 Heritage...........................................................p 23 Best Community Website/Webportal, Best News Story, circ. 10,000+.........................p 24 circ. 10,000+....................................................p 60 Best News Story, circ. - 9,999............................p 25 Best Community Website/Webportal, Best Feature/News Series, circ. 10,000+...........p 26 circ. - 9,999.......................................................p 61 Best Feature/News Series, circ. - 9,999...........p 27 Newspaper Toolbox Ad.....................................p 62 Best Inves ga ve News Story..........................p 28 Best Rural Story................................................p 29 COLLEGE & UNIVERSITY Sport & Recrea on Story.................................p 30 Student Feature Wri ng...................................p 64 Best Headline Wri ng.......................................p 31 Student News Wri ng......................................p 65 Best Police/Court Story....................................p 32 Student Photography.......................................p 66 Best Police/Court Series...................................p 33 Best College/University Newspaper Website...p 67 Diversity Coverage...........................................p 34 Hall of Fame Inductees...............................p 68 - 69 Best Guest/Freelance Column..........................p 35 General Excellence Judge Scoresheets............p 70 Humour Columnist of the Year..........................p 36 Sponsor Acknowledgements............................p 71 Columnist of the Year........................................p 37

RECOGNIZING THE HARD WORK & DEDICATION OF ONTARIO’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS!

GENERAL EXCELLENCE CLASS 1 CIRCULATION 1,999 & UNDER 13 ENTRIES

LISTOWEL BANNER

1

The Listowel Banner is a worthy winner in this category, star ng with its front page, which is best in class. This paper's presenta on and photography deserve par cular acclaim, but the Banner is solid across the board, with an above-average mix of important community news and interes ng features and quite a bit of a en on to sports.

BLYTH/BRUSSELS CITIZEN

2

The Blyth/Brussels Ci zen has strong, appealing layout elements with great photography and plen ful community features. Thorough sports coverage and adver sing features, as well as a fulsome opinion sec on moved this paper to second posi on in a category full of worthy recipients.

HALIBURTON COUNTY ECHO

3

The Haliburton County Echo takes third place with its wealth of news, features and sport, supported by strong photography and well-designed and informa ve ads. The County Echo has a strong editorial voice that engages readers on important issues. The staff is clearly working hard to serve people in the communi es that the newspaper serves.

Judges

HONOURABLE MENTION NEW LISKEARD TEMISKAMING SPEAKER - The New Liskeard Temiskaming Speaker is another shining example of a small circula on newspaper with a strong commitment to providing an engaging mix of news, features, commentary and adver sing.

Readers get full value from an issue of the Speaker which secures the newspaper’s place in the community.

GENERAL COMMENT As always, it was a pleasure to judge the work of the newspapers in Class 1. The newspapers in this category are serving their communi es well in the face of the challenging circumstances of which we are all aware.

There is commitment to repor ng on the community and presen ng generally a rac ve layouts with loads of eye-catching photos, and a real sense of thoroughness to the coverage. These communi es are being well-served by journalists who care about detailing hard news topics and also telling stories about the people and events that make these places what they are. This was a tough selec on to judge as the quality and care with which the papers handled their communi es was commendable.

6 2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

Bronwyn Beairsto

Frank McTighe

Greg Sakaki

Editor, The Coast Reporter, Sechelt, BC

Editor & Publisher, The Macleod Gaze e, Fort Macleod, AB

Managing Editor, Nanaimo News Bulle n, Nanaimo, BC

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

6 ENTRIES

EGANVILLE LEADER

1

The Eganville Leader stands out with both volume and quality of content. It broadly covers all aspects of community life from hard news to lighthearted community features using generally strong photography. It features a strong editorial page, which seems to indicate the community is engaged with the presence of le ers to the editor. If there is any quibble to be had with the Leader, it is that the look and layout feel a bit dated at mes. It could maybe use a bit of a faceli . On the adver sing side, the ads are clean and precise with good use of colour. The variety of adver sers is great to see.

FORT FRANCES TIMES

2

The Fort Frances Times has a good front page, which always gets people looking. The first thing people see is the front, which seems simple enough to say, but it's vitally important and this paper did just that.

Sports and arts lacked a bit, but the amount of good, solid community news made up for that.

STRATFORD TIMES

3

The Stra ord Times is well laid out, clean and easy to read. There is a lot of content and a lot of great features about interes ng people and events. The newspaper looks well supported with ads that are also crisp and effec ve. However, this newspaper could have benefi ed from an editorial page with a locally wri en editorial and a place for readers to write in. It does print its “Guiding Principles” which is an innova ve addi on to the publica on. Overall, this newspaper is an excellent read.

Judges

HONOURABLE MENTION CREEMORE ECHO - The Creemore Echo is also clean and easy to read.

It has a locally wri en editorial and mul ple le ers to the editor, indica ng readers have taken ownership in the paper. It also has interes ng features. It could have benefi ed from stronger leads in its stories and in organizing its content differently. Overall, this newspaper is a solid publica on.

GENERAL COMMENT Community journalism in Ontario is alive and well! Although a bit disappoin ng to see just six in this category, the entrants showed why community news con nues to be important. The entries were all solid, making it difficult to choose the top three. Universally, they had a lot of stories and photos, some good special sec ons, and seemed to cover their communi es well. You can get na onal news from anywhere, but people want to know what's happening with their neighbours, and they all did a good job documen ng important and local goings-on.

Congratula ons to everyone for not only con nuing to put out a newspaper every week, but also achieving a high standard while doing it.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

Melissa Ash

James McCarthy

Publisher, The Northern View, Prince Rupert, BC

Managing Editor, Northern News Services Ltd., Nunavut & NWT

Rob Vogt Editor, Claresholm Local Press, Claresholm, AB

2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

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7 ENTRIES

HALIBURTON, THE HIGHLANDER

1

The Highlander is a true example of an outstanding community newspaper! A pleasure to read, it clearly deserved the top marks this year. It fits the defini on of what a community newspaper should be pre y much to the le er. It is visually appealing, with effec ve use of colour, and draws the reader in. The layout and design, quality of wri ng and photography and the level of community news was fantas c to see. It was also the strongest newspaper for sports coverage. We really liked the "people" and "junior highlanders" categories. Congratula ons to the newsroom for producing a wonderful read with lively, well-wri en stories, fresh visuals, and excellent design.

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, THE LAKE REPORT

2

The Lake Report is a wonderful community newspaper that serves every demographic. Local features, community news and photography pushed this entry to second place. Readers of this newspaper are fortunate to have access to such an interes ng and aesthe cally pleasing publica on. Well done!

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE LOCAL

3

The Niagara-on-the-Lake Local is a superb community newspaper that’s full of great stories. Strong photography, presenta on, local features, and sports coverage can all be found in this newspaper, making the second/third place decision a tough one indeed. Three cheers to the newsroom!

Judges

GENERAL COMMENT The quality of journalism con nues to be strong in this class and showed the heart and personality of their respec ve communi es.

The news repor ng presented was solid — demonstra ng local journalism at its best, with mul -skilled journalists covering off-beat stories with unique voices and snapping fresh photos — while the op–ed, arts, school and sports sec ons rounded out interes ng and though ul reads. It was a delight to see such careful a en on to local issues, along with a strong adver sing base. Congratula ons to these publica ons for giving up precious white space to devote to the le ers to the editor. Having differing views in a public forum makes for healthy debate. Overall, these entries offer plenty of op mism.

Give yourselves a collec ve pat on the back and keep up the good work. And to the reporters: Your passion for storytelling deserves applause.

8 2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

Janis Cleugh

Greg Vandermeulen

Andy Walker

Reporter & Copy Editor, Tri-City News, Coquitlam, BC

Editor, The Carillon, Steinbach, MB

Re red Editor, Island Farm, Montague, PEI

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

GENERAL EXCELLENCE CLASS 5, 6 & 7 CIRCULATION 12,500 & OVER 5 ENTRIES

FERGUS WELLINGTON ADVERTISER

1

The Fergus Wellington Adver ser includes lots of news on each front page to a ract readers. Publisher Dave Adse ’s editorials were powerfully wri en. The paper includes lots of le ers to the editor meaning that folks are engaged in the community. Both the arts and sports coverage were strong.

A wonderful community newspaper!

KITCHISSIPPI TIMES

2

The Kitchissippi Times was both fun and refreshing to read. The layout was easy and comfortable to navigate, and the adver sing was well-designed. Plenty of happy community faces in the photos, too.

More sports coverage would have been great but overall, a good enjoyable read.

LISTOWEL INDEPENDENT PLUS

3

The Listowel Independent Plus offers its readers a good mixture of both local editorial and adver sing content. For anyone living or visi ng Listowel, one can pick up the Independent Plus to get a quick idea on the pulse of the community and what is important for people in the region.

Judges

GENERAL COMMENT Community newspapers have one thing in common - local coverage.

The best of them reflect a par cular community back to itself. That’s what the top three papers in this class did effec vely. People stories, whether the focus is on arts or business or sports, make readers feel personally connected and that is what we are celebra ng with this class. The category was a challenging one to judge as all newspapers offered excellent editorial and adver sing content for readers. Each newspaper was able to give its readers a full spectrum of what was happening in their respec ve communi es and what was important to residents. They produced solid content and quality wri ng, which is greatly appreciated by readers who consume the journalism throughout the year.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

Greg Colgan

Wendy Elliott

Manfred Tempelmayr

Editor, Rocky Mountain Outlook, Banff & Canmore, AB

Columnist, Valley Journal Adver ser, Annapolis Valley, NS

Re red Publishing Company President, Past BCYCNA President, Gabriola Island, BC

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GENERAL EXCELLENCE CLASS 8 COLLEGE & UNIVERSITY 4 ENTRIES

HUMBER COLLEGE - ET CETERA

1

The “double” cover pages (usual front but also back page as a sports-themed cover) is a unique touch.

Overall, this paper has a clean and high-contrast style with sec ons in the expected places. I enjoyed the themes in both edi ons. Headshots for op-ed writers is a pro move. Pullquotes break things up nicely, but all-caps is too “shouty”. Strong sports coverage and also plenty of community photos. No ads in either edi on.

UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO - IMPRINT

2

Crisp and compelling photos, and an appealing design and layout to this newspaper. While some sec ons tend to move around between edi ons, and photo cap ons are inconsistent, the local features were good though would have benefi ed from more photos. Only one ad, which appeared on the cover.

FANSHAWE COLLEGE - INTERROBANG

3

Appealing magazine style to the front page with bold graphics. Nice touch to note writers’ pronouns in their bylines. Consistent presenta on of sec ons and use of photo cap ons, but I was puzzled about the middle sec ons with full-colour graphics (unclear why they were in a different style). Themes were relevant. Placement and relevance of ads was good. Local features would have benefi ed from peoples’ names.

Judge Christina Leadlay

GENERAL COMMENT There's no shortage of keen reporters and talented photographers working hard in Ontario's campus newspapers. These entries all share a drive to bring readers the latest community news happening both on campus and in the wider neighbourhood. While there are conven onal styles that newspaper readers expect, each paper shows there is also room to be crea ve and unique in their delivery.

10 2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

Copy Editor and Staff Writer, The Hill Times, O awa, ON Reading local community newspapers is one of Chris na Leadlay’s favourite things. Having been in newspaper publishing since 2004 when she first joined The Hill Times group in O awa, Leadlay has held many roles, from intern at HT to associate editor of its foreign policy weekly Embassy. Since 2015, she has been co-edi ng the daily digital publica on Parliament Now, contribu ng to the health publica on Hill Times Research, and overseeing the annual Inside O awa Directory (a pocket guide to Parliament). In addi on, since early 2022, Leadlay has been copy edi ng both edi ons of The Hill Times, and since late 2023 has been wri ng for the paper’s “Heard on the Hill” column each week. From 2014 to 2023 she was managing editor of the New Edinburgh News, a volunteer-run community newspaper serving neighbourhoods just east of downtown O awa.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

Arts & Entertainment 24 ENTRIES

HALIBURTON, THE HIGHLANDER

1

A most enjoyable read! Great photo and a lively story. Great work, Sam! First place is well deserved.

KITCHISSIPPI TIMES - ZENITH WOLFE

2

Beau fully presented and wri en with strong images, this ar cle is an example of great community journalism! Congratula ons, Zenith! Be sure to italicize tles and watch for punctua on (square brackets inside quotes). A job well done!

CREEMORE ECHO - TRINA BERLO

3

Beau fully wri en and presented, although there is no photo credit. There is a really nice "call to ac on" with the icon at the end of the piece. Congratula ons to Trina for her perfect story!

Judge

HONOURABLE MENTION PICTON GAZETTE - CHRIS FANNING - A lovely review of a chamber music performance. This ar cle was beau fully presented with a great photo of the musicians. For the reporter, please watch your punctua on (dashes, colons, quota on marks around songs) and, as per CP Style, avoid the use of honourary tles like Mr. Kudos to the newsroom for this work!

GENERAL COMMENT This was a hard pick. However, Sam Gille 's story in The Highlander about radio bingo shined. Congrats to the entrants for their submissions and keep up the great work. Arts and culture ma ers!

Janis Cleugh Reporter & Copy Editor, Tri-City News, Coquitlam, BC Janis Cleugh is a mul media reporter covering city business, courts and the arts for the Tri-City News, a Glacier Media publica on that went digital-only in August 2023. She is also a copy editor, a paginator and a na onally cer fied proofreader. Janis has worked at community newspapers for more than 30 years in England, Scotland, Wales, Ontario and Bri sh Columbia. She is also a contest judge for AWNA, SWNA and QCNA, as well as for the Canadian Community Newspaper Awards (CCNA). In her spare me, Janis is the secretary of Editors BC, which in June 2024 is hos ng the Editors Canada conference in Vancouver.

Sponsored by: Midwestern Newspapers

12 2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

Best Business & Finance Story 21 ENTRIES

AYLMER EXPRESS - JOE KONECNY

1

Excellent wri ng and sourcing! All within the limits imposed by local governments, non-disclosure edict.

BLYTH/BRUSSELS CITIZEN - SHAWN LOUGHLIN

2

Fine narra ve style. Limited sourcing and direct quotes. Specula on and assump ons without sourcing a distrac on. The ‘storytelling’ was excellent.

FORT FRANCES TIMES - ELISA NGUYEN

3

A good review of a deadly problem for the remote provincial Region: an absence of licensed funeral directors. The story could use cri cal gramma cal edi ng. Also, sourcing was limited.

Judge Frank Garred

GENERAL COMMENT Most entries in this category captured the essence of storytelling.

However, too many entries read as well-wri en promo on pieces.

Missing too were sources beyond the stories - primary focus: customers, other affected businesses, employees, financial support services and affected or related government agencies. Put simply: shallow. Now for the posi ve (they all had something): they featured people! Ins tu ons come and go in the business community, but change in any form affects our neighbors, the humans. Broad sourcing also engages readers! A er all, they are the ones for whom our stories are gathered and wri en.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

Re red Publisher, The Leader, Port Townsend, Washington, US Frank Garred began his Journalism career in 1960 following two years of military service. He has reported for and edited daily and community newspapers since, un l “re rement” in 2002. That career included ownership of The Leader in Port Townsend Washington, and partner-owner of The Gaze e in Sequim, Washington. He remains a member of the Na onal Newspaper Associa on; Interna onal Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors; and Washington Newspaper Publishers Associa on. Since re rement he served as Journalism associate professor at two state colleges and helped found (and manage) a state non-profit focused on maintaining accountability and transparency among state and local government en es. He lives in Port Townsend and vaca ons with family on Kauai, Hawaii . . . o en.

2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

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Best Editorial, circ. over 10,000 5 ENTRIES

FERGUS WELLINGTON ADVERTISER - PATRICK RAFTIS

1

Well wri en editorial. Good explana on of what the issue is, so that any reader can get up to speed and understand the issue if, by chance, they missed this before. Good editorial development. You backed it up with facts, sta s cs and quotes.

PICTON GAZETTE - KAREN VALIHORA

2

This editorial speaks to every single journalist who reads it, but will the general public understand? It's a ques on I've been asking myself for the last several years. It automa cally gives you a knot in your stomach, just thinking about it. It is a well-developed editorial: you built it well with sta s cs and numbers to support your argument.

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, THE LAKE REPORT - KEVIN MACLEAN

3

Interes ng issue, and it's very interes ng that you're le ng the readership know what you're doing and the ques ons you're asking. It speaks to public transparency, se ng yourself as a public watchdog, and is rather good promo on.

Judge Sheena Read Freelance Journalist, Alberta

GENERAL COMMENT In a good editorial, make sure your lead is the premise of your editorial. Never presume the audience knows the issue you're talking about. Explain it briefly and build on it. Explain what the acronyms stand for. Use sta s cs or statements/quotes to back up your argument. For print edi ons, make sure you take the hyphena ons out of your ar cles when doing pagina on. Too many hyphens break concentra on and are distrac ng and some mes they don't make sense. Grab the reader by ge ng them involved in the issue or have a call to ac on. Show them how it impacts them as the individual.

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Sheena Read has commi ed decades - yikes, yes decades - to communica ons. Based in southern Alberta, she is now involved in contract messaging and promo ons, with a focus and commitment on community building. She ponders the changes in communica ons and media and what the future holds with the twists and turns of social media. Read is a strong supporter of journalism.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

23 ENTRIES

MANITOULIN EXPOSITOR - MICHAEL ERSKINE

1

This editorial is everything a community newspaper's editorial should be: it is brave, it is well wri en (very well wri en), and it takes a stand that not all readers will agree with. It also gives a voice to the voiceless; our job, a er all.

BANCROFT THIS WEEK - NATE SMELLE

2

A beau ful editorial that makes the reader think and appreciate what we have. I noted too, that the editorial had real world impact in the form of more support for the new museum. Well done!

MINDEN TIMES - EMILY STONEHOUSE

3

Brave of both the writer and the publisher to put this out there. This editorial called it like its writer saw it. It is incredibly hard to take a stand in a rela vely small publica on. There are pressures to be vague, to see both sides, to not alienate any readers or adver sers. Well done for doing what we are supposed to do - ruffle feathers.

Judge

HONOURABLE MENTION MANOTICK MESSENGER - JEFF MORRIS - A strong editorial. It took a stance, supported that stance, and backed it up with examples. It is not easy to row against the de, but it is our job. Well done for wri ng this and calling it like you saw it.

Jennifer Thuncher Editor, The Squamish Chief, Squamish, BC

GENERAL COMMENT Wow! Every entry had something to admire, truly. These communi es are so well served by the voices in these editorials.

When I say I struggled to pick winners, I mean I really struggled, especially with choosing the second and third place spots. So many topics ma ered to their communi es. So many were strongly stated.

It came down to the wri ng style and quality. The winners tugged at the heartstrings and/or made the reader sit up and take no ce. Well done all. To those who didn't win, please enter again. It was very close!

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

Jennifer Thuncher is the editor and a roving reporter at The Squamish Chief. She can be found chasing down the paper's other journalists, local poli cians, or wildlife, depending on the day. She is a Simon Fraser University and Langara journalism grad. She had careers as an English instructor, administra ve assistant, and icecream scooper in her life before journalism. Jennifer is the winner of the inaugural 2022 Jack Webster Founda on Shelley Fralic award for dedica on to community journalism.

2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

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Best Editorial CARTOON 6 ENTRIES

NEW LISKEARD TEMISKAMING SPEAKER - DAVE DICKERSON

1

Bold and drama c illustra on. Certainly gets your a en on. Bravo.

LANARK ERA - STEVE MYERS

2

The idea that one might consider moving from the burbs into the city to get some quiet is both sad and funny all at once.

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, THE LAKE REPORT - ALPEREN ALBAYRAK

3

Colourful illustra on that jumps from the page. And the topic is oh so mely.

Judge Anthony Bonaparte Features Editor, The Suburban, Montreal, QC

GENERAL COMMENT It's always fun to see the different drawing styles, skill levels, and types of humour. All are different, which is a good thing, but it also makes it tough for one person to select what they consider to be the best of a good lot. Well, I did my best. Congratula ons to all.

16 2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

For the past 18 years, Anthony Bonaparte has been the Features and the Arts & Life editor at The Suburban, Quebec’s largest English weekly newspaper. During his almost 25 years in the industry, Anthony has won numerous Quebec Community Newspaper Associa on awards (QCNA) as well as North American (SNA/LMA) and Canadian (CCNA) awards for his wri ng, edi ng, and the editorial cartoons created under his pen name, Napoleon.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

Best Editorial PAGE/SECTION 17 ENTRIES

1 2

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, THE LAKE REPORT RICHARD HARLEY & BRIAN MARSHALL With cogent, well-edited commentary on LOCAL topics from staff and le er writers, and an a rac ve layout that used photos to illustrate some of the pieces, this paper is the winner.

FERGUS WELLINGTON ADVERTISER DAVID ADSETT & KELLY WATERHOUSE Lots to read in this sec on, including a solid editorial. It was great to see so many le ers to the editor, but more care could have been taken in laying them out. This was also the only paper with a cartoon, poll ques on and quote of the week (all three).

HALIBURTON, THE HIGHLANDER

3

Only one topic was represented in this sec on, but it was an important one - the closure of a hospital emergency department - and it was thoroughly explored in several le ers and opinion pieces. The clean layout makes everything easy to read.

Judge Gail Sjuberg

GENERAL COMMENT The opinion sec on of a newspaper should reflect the heart of the community and what is important to its residents. It’s not a good sign when papers have no le ers to the editor, or almost none with local or impac ul content, and that was the case with a number of entries.

Several papers carried a strong or interes ng editorial or column which may or may not have had a local focus, but too o en there wasn’t much else to give readers food for thought about issues of importance in their community.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

Editor, Gulf Islands Dri wood & Aqua-Gulf Islands Living Magazine, Salt Spring Island, BC Gail Sjuberg has been the editor of the award-winning Gulf Islands Dri wood newspaper in B.C. since 2003 and in the community newspaper business for more than 30 years. She is also the editor of the Dri wood’s Aqua - Gulf Islands Living magazine and other company publica ons. She has been a judge for numerous community newspaper compe ons over the years.

2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

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Education Writing 21 ENTRIES

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, THE LAKE REPORT - EVAN LOREE

1

Nicely done! I enjoyed reading this back-to-school ar cle because it really looked into the emo ons and prepara on behind the annual event. The wri ng was great - an excellent combina on of informa on, quotes with a ribu on that made the story easy and fun to read. Photos were great, too!

EGANVILLE LEADER

2

This is text-book repor ng of an important local issue where the par es involved are given the opportunity to explain their posi on on a controversial topic. Very straigh orward repor ng that doesn't appear to sensa onalize the issue. However, more background might have made the story more interes ng, such as whether this is a recent phenomenon and why and where it is occurring.

ORONO WEEKLY TIMES - FRANCES MALLON

3

This is a well-wri en ar cle about an interes ng topic: unschooling - where students choose when, where and what to learn. Many examples and quotes are used to show how it works. Challenging topics such as how the teens deal with the social aspect of learning are addressed. I would have liked more informa on about what the two students have to do to qualify for post-secondary educa on. Maybe a follow up when they are about to graduate/age-out would be interes ng. As well, there could be more detail about the day to day challenges they face, if any, such as procras na on, distrac on, or boredom.

S ll, a good job - simple, easy-to-follow ar cle with only tweaks needed to take the story from excellent to outstanding.

Judge

HONOURABLE MENTION BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT - JEFF MORRIS - A very thorough analysis of the fall-out of a decision to keep Ontario police out of schools. Many sources are cited but the wri ng was a li le unclear, making it challenging to understand the nuances of the issue. I also wondered why Cox, who spearheaded the decision to keep police out of schools, was now challenging the ma er. Perhaps an interview to clarify her stance? All in all, a deep look at an important issue.

GENERAL COMMENT In a year marked by mul ple newspaper closures and a declining interest in covering educa on, it’s a joy to read so many though ul ar cles. Contributed stories in this category showed keen interest in local educa on, skillful wri ng for the most part and covered a wide range of topics. Kudos to everyone who contributed. Keep up the good work!

Diane Strandberg Re red Journalist, Tri-City News, Coquitlam, BC I am a re red journalist who spent more than 40 years repor ng and edi ng community newspapers. Most recently, I was a mul media reporter for the Tri-City News in Coquitlam, B.C., repor ng for both print and online publica ons. I wrote about educa on, civic government, social services, business and environmental issues for the communi es of Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody, winning na onal, provincial and regional awards for feature wri ng, editorial wri ng and community ini a ves.

Sponsored by: Ontario Journalism Educators Associa on

18 2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

ENVIRONMENT ONTARIO 25 ENTRIES

1 2

3

HALIBURTON, THE HIGHLANDER LISA GERVAIS & TANIA MOHER Great piece. It was a pleasure to read.

FERGUS WELLINGTON ADVERTISER ROBIN GEORGE A well wri en and well researched piece.

BANCROFT THIS WEEK NATE SMELLE Very well wri en piece. It was a pleasure to read, despite the serious subject. My only cri cism is that it deserves a be er headline than "Local Smoke”

Judge Kevin Weedmark Editor and Publisher, The World-Spectator, Moosomin, SK

GENERAL COMMENT The quality of submissions varied greatly. A handful of winners rose to the top very quickly. At the other end of the scale were a few entries that contained spelling and gramma cal errors, or nonsensical or cut off sentences. I won’t blame the writers for that every writer should have the me and resources to do a good job and, in every newsroom, there should be an experienced set of eyes looking over every piece before it is published. Overall, the quality of wri ng for the majority of entries was high, and for the winning entries, was excep onally high. Congratula ons to the winners. I want to extend my gra tude to all entrants. The media landscape has never been more complicated, but your voices ma er, and your words have power. Keep inves ga ng and keep wri ng!

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

Kevin Weedmark is editor of the community newspaper WorldSpectator, the agricultural publica on Ag News, and the regional publica on Plain and Valley. He started work as a reporter at the World-Spectator in 1988, a er gradua ng from the University of Regina. He was appointed editor in 1990 and purchased the company in 2002. He won the Canadian Interna onal Development Agency's Award for Excellence in Wri ng on Interna onal Co-opera on twice, and twice won the Media Human Rights Award presented by the League for Human Rights of B'nai B'rith Canada. One of the awards was presented for "Freedom of Speech vs. Freedom from Hatred," which examined the rela onship between the right to free speech and laws against hate speech in Canada. The other for an inves ga on into the history of the Ku Klux Klan in Saskatchewan.

2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

19

FEATURE WRITING, circ. OVER 10,000 7 ENTRIES

FERGUS WELLINGTON ADVERTISER - JORDAN SNOBELEN

1

A well-researched and important lesson in Canadian history and how we must cherish and remember those who came before us. Congratula ons.

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, THE LAKE REPORT - EVAN LOREE

2

Good, strong, informa ve, and well-balanced story. This could have easily placed first. It was that close.

Well done.

THE AURORAN - BROCK WEIR

3

Nice, tender, and touching story. Made me smile that he was able to leave a thank you and goodbye note to the community he loved. Well done.

Judge Anthony Bonaparte Features Editor, The Suburban, Montreal, QC

GENERAL COMMENT Every one of these good, local stories kept me reading with interest, but some were slightly be er than others. In fact, the first and second place entries could easily have been interchanged so both writers should be very proud. Congratula ons to you all.

For the past 18 years, Anthony Bonaparte has been the Features and the Arts & Life editor at The Suburban, Quebec’s largest English weekly newspaper. During his almost 25 years in the industry, Anthony has won numerous Quebec Community Newspaper Associa on awards (QCNA) as well as North American (SNA/LMA) and Canadian (CCNA) awards for his wri ng, edi ng, and the editorial cartoons created under his pen name, Napoleon.

Sponsored by: ORP Law

20 2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

21 ENTRIES

MANITOULIN EXPOSITOR - WARREN SCHLOTE

1

I have judged newspaper compe ons for over 30 years and never given a perfect score. No story is "perfect”, but this is a close as it gets. Congratula ons! A supreme effort! An interes ng subject dripping in history. It has everything! Any slight flaw is easily forgo en.

MANOTICK MESSENGER - JEFF MORRIS

2

It is hard to imagine there was a be er entry than this one. In many other judges’ eyes, it would probably place first. A near perfect entry! Congratula ons! An enjoyable read!

BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT - JEFF MORRIS

3

I knew a situa on in my hometown very similar to this one. It s rred emo ons in me. Yes, it even made me cry. That means it was done very well. I am sure I was not the only reader to shed a tear. Outstanding wri ng and presenta on. Congratula ons!

Judge Chris Clegg Editor, South Peace News, High Prairie, AB

GENERAL COMMENT As usual the entries in this category are outstanding. Well done everyone! It is ironic that the first place winner and second place winner resulted in a feeling of euphoria for me. The third place winner made me cry. I have never given a perfect score in my 30+ years of judging un l the Manitoulin Expositor's entry. While no story is perfect, this is as close as it gets. Second and third were very, very close. I was impressed by the variety of topics. Remember readers love reading about people. Overall presenta on was very good. And I always stress to NEVER be afraid to start feature stories on the front page. Highlight your best work! Don't "bury" it inside. Take a bow everyone! It was a pleasure to read so may terrific stories.

Chris Clegg has held the posi on of editor at the High Prairie South Peace News since December 1988. South Peace News has won over 100 AWNA and CCNA awards since his arrival in virtually every judging category. Clegg has also served on the High Prairie and District Museum and Historical Society for about 10 years and has a keen interest in history.

Sponsored by: ORP Law ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

21

HEALTH & WELLNESS 21 ENTRIES

THE HALDIMAND PRESS - MIKE RENZELLA

1

Cute story enhanced by compelling storytelling and clear wri ng. Great ini a ve to follow Tanner the wellness dog to various stops during his workday. The photos add to the overall appeal.

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, THE LAKE REPORT - JULIA SACCO This clearly wri en story provides mul ple local perspec ves on the topic of home care.

2 HALIBURTON, THE HIGHLANDER - LISA GERVAIS Good storytelling in this ar cle about a local aqua c therapy business.

3 Judge Jennifer McFee

GENERAL COMMENT Great range of submissions on important health and wellness topics.

Many entries showcased a high level of ini a ve and originality. Hats off to the writers for crea ng connec ons to their local communi es.

22 2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

Reporter/Photographer, Stonewall Teulon Tribune, Stonewall, MB Jennifer McFee has two decades of experience wri ng and edi ng for different publica ons, including the Stonewall Teulon Tribune in Manitoba.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

HERITAGE 25 ENTRIES

LISTOWEL BANNER - WENDY VAN LEEUWEN

1

Wendy van Leeuwen provides a master class in historical research in her first-place story in the Listowel Banner’s Remembrance Day edi on. In an old photo that was found in the high school library, seven uniformed men are posed in front of a Second World War-era Lancaster bomber. The man who donated the photo had died and none of the men were from the area. So, what was the importance of the photo? Through diligent research, van Leeuwen learns about the crew, the plane and the local fundraising campaign that brought the community together to buy a Lancaster bomber for the war effort. Seamlessly, and with a flowing style, she weaves all the pieces of informa on together un l she reveals that the pilot in the photograph was the same pilot that flew the Listowel-funded bomber’s only mission. Bravo!

EGANVILLE LEADER - DEBBI CHRISTINCK

2

In her Eganville Leader feature about the demoli on of a derelict building on Killaloe’s main street, Debbi Chris nck wisely focuses on what the building had to tell us about days when it was part of a bustling downtown scene. She reveals insights into an en re era of the town’s history, in essence adding colour to a pa naed view of what life was like. Historical photos contribute to her earning a secondplace finish.

BLYTH/BRUSSELS CITIZEN - KAREN WEBSTER

3

Third place is awarded to Karen Webster’s fascina ng explora on of how, in the days before refrigera on, ice was harvested from local lakes and kept cold for months. A columnist with the Blyth/Brussels Ci zen, her detailed research is shared in an entertaining and informa ve manner — and she manages to find a local resident who harvests ice in the same manner!

Judge HONOURABLE MENTION MINDEN TIMES – EMILY STONEHOUSE - Honourable men on goes to Emily Stonehouse of the Minden Times. In her profile, “70 Years of Minden Memories,” she writes, “But the real keepers of the truth, the tales, the stories, are the locals. The holders of the memories, and a glimpse into the past.” How true!

GENERAL COMMENT

Martha Perkins Re red journalist of 30 years, Ontario and BC

Martha Perkins is a re red community newspaper editor who remains commi ed to preserving the value and vital importance of local journalism.

The Heritage category offers writers a wonderful opportunity to research and flush out stories that provide insight and context, looking back in me to help inform the present. A er all, the past is truly in the past, se ng the writer free from the pressure to manage the latest details.

Sponsored by: Fort Frances Times ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

23

BEST NEWS STORY, CIRC. OVER 10,000 9 ENTRIES 5

FERGUS WELLINGTON ADVERTISER - PATRICK RAFTIS

1

A rive ng, superbly wri en account of an incident that had a happy ending because of a teenager’s heroic ac ons. All the informa on is presented in a way that gives the context, interspersed with wellchosen quotes. The photos are an integral part of the story.

ORANGEVILLE CITIZEN - JAMES MATTHEWS

2

This is an amazing story with the kind of ending we all love to read about. The reporter handles it well, se ng the stage and then turning it over to the hero, le ng the quotes flow uninterrupted as he tells his story. It captures the drama perfectly.

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, THE LAKE REPORT - RICHARD HARLEY

3

The writer sums up the story in the first few paragraphs, and then provides the reader with an informa ve and entertaining narra ve that includes well-chosen quotes and invaluable background on both the councillor and the developer. Pu ng the statement from the town in the sidebar was a good decision. This is the kind of local government story that a newspaper can do best. Excellent work.

Judge Terry Pugh Reporter/Photographer, Clark’s Crossing Gaze e, Warman, SK

GENERAL COMMENT While there were only five entries in this category, the quality of the stories was very strong. The top three, in par cular, were great examples of the kind of journalism that community newspapers do best. The top two highlighted heroism by people in the right place at the right me and the third tackled a story of local government that dives below the surface to get the straight facts.

Terry Pugh is an award-winning reporter-photographer with the Clark's Crossing Gaze e. He has wri en for several community newspapers in Saskatchewan since 1976.

Sponsored by: Hydro One

24 2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

BEST NEWS STORY, CIRC. UNDER 9,999 17 ENTRIES

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE LOCAL

1 2

Three cheers for Mike! This is a very powerful story that's wri en with a lot of community voices! My sugges ons on the wri ng: Keep to shorter, more common words (e.g., happened instead of occurred); Congrats on a fabulous breaking news story!

THE INDEPENDENT SERVING PETROLIA AND CENTRAL LAMBTON HEATHER WRIGHT Great job, Heather! Fine repor ng and photos about a scary natural event for the community; however, I would have liked to have read more comments from affected home and business owners instead of from local poli cians.

LISTOWEL BANNER - DAN MCNEE

3

A good story about an alarming situa on for this family and others. The lede is strong; however, I would have liked to have seen a photo of Kelly and her daughter (or at least head shots). I also would have liked to have seen an FOI sidebar lis ng all of the 13 complaints.

Judge HONOURABLE MENTION EGANVILLE LEADER - TERRY FLEURIE - A well-wri en piece about a veteran paramedic figh ng for his pension.

GENERAL COMMENT Congratula ons to the reporters who covered these important stories for our communi es! Please ensure you follow CP Style, use proper grammar and punctua on and talk directly to your sources.

Don't quote other media, don't scrape social media comments and don't type statements from authority figures word for word.

Challenge your sources and show your work to your readers; they will be grateful for your persistence! Local journalism counts because we are documen ng local history.

Janis Cleugh Reporter & Copy Editor, Tri-City News, Coquitlam, BC Janis Cleugh is a mul media reporter covering city business, courts and the arts for the Tri-City News, a Glacier Media publica on that went digital-only in August 2023. She is also a copy editor, a paginator and a na onally cer fied proofreader. Janis has worked at community newspapers for more than 30 years in England, Scotland, Wales, Ontario and Bri sh Columbia. She is also a contest judge for AWNA, SWNA and QCNA, as well as for the Canadian Community Newspaper Awards (CCNA). In her spare me, Janis is the secretary of Editors BC, which in June 2024 is hos ng the Editors Canada conference in Vancouver.

Sponsored by: Hydro One ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

25

BEST FEATURE/NEWS SERIES, CIRC. OVER 10,000 9 ENTRIES 5

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, THE LAKE REPORT - SOMER SLOBODIAN

1

This series addressed a crucial issue in Niagara-on-the-Lake and across Canada - the inability of so many people to find housing. The series looked at the problem from the perspec ve of many people and let the community know that much more needs to be done.

ORANGEVILLE CITIZEN - SAM ODROWSKI

2

Jamie Ferris was a much-loved community member who was all about helping others. When he died in a traffic crash, the community came together to remember him, help his family and organize and take part in a series of events to help others. This series shows the crucial role played by local journalism in connec ng disparate members of the community and bringing them together.

PICTON GAZETTE - KAREN VALIHORA

3

In news stories and opinion pieces, the Picton Gaze e gave its readers a lot of informa on about Picton Terminals and a proposal to greatly expand its waterfront ac vi es. All sides of the controversy were presented.

Judge Frank Bucholtz

GENERAL COMMENT There were five entries in this category. The subjects covered varied widely. All approached their varied subjects in interes ng ways and these stories almost certainly captured a lot of reader interest. Well done everyone!

Columnist, Black Press Media and Re red Editor, Langley Times, BC Frank Bucholtz is a re red community newspaper editor, and a freelance writer and blogger with more than 40 years of media experience. He worked for community newspapers in Surrey, Langley, White Rock and other parts of the B.C. Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley from 1978 un l re ring in 2015, and con nues to write a column for the Surrey Now-Leader, Peace Arch News and Cloverdale Reporter in B.C. He has judged various categories in the OCNA awards for the past ten years. He also serves as judge with the Jack Webster Founda on, which presents awards to B.C. journalists in all media. Frank is a past winner of journalism awards from the CCNA and the BCYCNA.

Sponsored by: Hydro One

26 2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

Best FEATURE/NEWS SERIES, CIRC. UNDER 9,999 14 ENTRIES

FORT FRANCES TIMES - ALLAN BRADBURY

1

This series is wonderfully-wri en. Upcoming concerts in an area far from big ci es would be events to look forward to, and this series whets the appe te.

BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT - JEFF MORRIS

2

The poli cal posturing which kept an O awa police officer from a ending her child’s career day in uniform is shameful. Thankfully, the Barrhaven Independent ensured that readers were kept fully informed.

UXBRIDGE COSMOS - CONRAD BOYCE

3

This was a very novel way to bring home to readers just what a municipal government does. The series was entertaining and interes ng.

Judge Frank Bucholtz

GENERAL COMMENT There were many issues covered in this category by the 14 newspapers who submi ed entries. Most are of great importance to community members. There were many good entries and as a judge and former reporter and editor, I appreciate all the hard work that went into these stories.

Columnist, Black Press Media and Re red Editor, Langley Times, BC Frank Bucholtz is a re red community newspaper editor, and a freelance writer and blogger with more than 40 years of media experience. He worked for community newspapers in Surrey, Langley, White Rock and other parts of the B.C. Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley from 1978 un l re ring in 2015, and con nues to write a column for the Surrey Now-Leader, Peace Arch News and Cloverdale Reporter in B.C. He has judged various categories in the OCNA awards for the past ten years. He also serves as judge with the Jack Webster Founda on, which presents awards to B.C. journalists in all media. Frank is a past winner of journalism awards from the CCNA and the BCYCNA.

Sponsored by: Hydro One ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

27

BEST INVESTIGATIVE NEWS STORY 9 ENTRIES 10 ENTRIES

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, THE LAKE REPORT - SOMER SLOBODIAN

1

This is a great feature that looks at the community's lack of affordable housing by using a real person to illustrate the issue. I could tell a lot of work went into the series. I thought the housing advocate elevated the story by poin ng to the local rules that prevent the development of anything but singlefamily homes. I liked the sta s cs and wide range of voices and solu ons-oriented feel the series had. It was easy to read from start to finish and very compelling. This is exactly the kind of repor ng a small community needs. Excellent work!

AYR NEWS - IRENE SCHMIDT-ADENEY

2

Overall, I thought the reporter did a great job trying to get accountability from officials in charge of the embarrassing mistake that caused names to go missing from ballots. I liked how the journalist stayed on top of this story and wrote developments along the way. On the surface, one may disregard the importance of a trustee elec on but these leaders are responsible for spending millions of taxpayer dollars and should be scru nized just like a regular member of council. To take the story further, I would have filed freedom of informa on requests with the City of Cambridge to see what staffers were saying about this behind the scenes. There's probably a paper trail of emails somewhere that give insight on what happened.

THE HALDIMAND PRESS - MIKE RENZELLA

3

The reporter does a good job of ge ng both sides of the story. I like the colour throughout the piece.

Exposing the province's loophole that lets people have wild animals like lions unregulated made the story even more compelling. I personally wouldn't have granted anonymity to the zoo employee, especially since they took a photo. Try to push back when people tell you they don't want their name published. If you're OK having your picture taken, you can give your name.

Judge

HONOURABLE MENTION BARRHAVEN INDEPENDENT - JEFF MORRIS - This is a well-wri en feature looking back at the crash between the train and bus that rocked the community. I like the lede a lot and the photos are great.

The reporter did an excellent job illustra ng the impact of the crash not only on the community but also on the bus driver's wife. To make the story stronger, I would've go en a fresh interview from someone who is impacted by the crash s ll today. I would've put that up high in the story instead of relying on quotes from the archives.

GENERAL COMMENT I was impressed by the commitment to local journalism from the entries this year. Every story submi ed was important to the community. The entries that stood out to me were ones that had depth and went beyond surface level repor ng.

28 2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

Austin Grabish Inves ga ve Reporter, ABC 10 News, San Diego, California Aus n Grabish is an inves ga ve reporter at ABC 10 News in San Diego. He started his career in weekly newspapers in Manitoba as a reporter and photographer over a decade ago. Before moving to California, he worked for over six years at CBC in Winnipeg. His stories aired on The Na onal, CBC News Network and on local CBC TV sta ons across Canada. His inves ga ve repor ng has exposed wrongdoing, go en people fired, made interna onal headlines and won numerous awards.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

BEST RURAL STORY 20 ENTRIES

THE HALDIMAND PRESS - MIKE RENZELLA

1

Mike Renzella’s profile of a young local farmer who’s also a TikTok sensa on cks off all the boxes for compelling storytelling, propelling the Haldimand Press to top spot. Although Renzella has a light and engaging wri ng style, he’s able to touch on some fairly big issues, especially since he’s found someone willing to be open and honest about those issues. The accompanying photos are the best in this category, also reflec ng the importance of an appealing presenta on in this day and age. It’s a story that will draw young readers to the newspaper, which is a feat in itself.

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, THE LAKE REPORT - SOMER SLOBODIAN

2

Somer Slobodian’s story about efforts to head off a par cularly dangerous invasive species earned The Lake Report its second-place win. There is a lot of science to be presented but she conveys it in a way that makes people realize why they too should care about this issue. She brings together lots of poten ally dry informa on and weaves it together seamlessly.

BLYTH/BRUSSELS CITIZEN - SHAWN LOUGHLIN

3

Shawn Laughlin transformed a council presenta on into a feature-style explora on of the poten ally devasta ng impact of provincial legisla on on rural communi es such as the ones served by the Blyth/Brussels Ci zen. By following up the council mee ng with a more in-depth interview, he’s able to convey why farming associa ons were ringing the alarm bells — and earn the paper its third-place finish.

Judge Martha Perkins Re red journalist of 30 years, Ontario and BC

GENERAL COMMENT No one knows rural issues be er than the community newspapers that cover them, week in, week out. Writers who take the me to delve into ongoing issues are offering a much-needed perspec ve that the demands of news repor ng o en can’t provide.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

Martha Perkins is a re red community newspaper editor who remains commi ed to preserving the value and vital importance of local journalism.

2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

29

SPORT & RECREATION STORY 27 ENTRIES

LISTOWEL BANNER - DAN MCNEE

1

My favourite of them all. When you get a group of kids who are thinking like that at a young age, you know they've had some good upbringing. Hockey does a great job looking a er its own and this proves it. Writer Dan McNee did a fantas c job laying it out from start to finish - even including the Interna onal Silver S ck win as an added bonus - and this deserves the plaudits. As the headline states, a remarkable group of boys indeed.

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, THE LAKE REPORT - SOMER SLOBODIAN

2

Love these stories about a sport which doesn't get a lot of posi ve a en on among the general public.

A lot of people just think it's about punching and violence, which is as far from the truth as you can get.

Nice lead, a good middle, and a strong ending. Well done.

WINGHAM ADVANCE TIMES - MIKE WILSON

3

Very nice recap profile of a local athlete who's gone and done well for herself. Something I like is that the athlete is being given the chance to speak as opposed to the writer doing it on their behalf.

Judge James McCarthy Managing Editor, Northern News Services Ltd., Nunavut and NWT

GENERAL COMMENT Plenty of entries this year and as a former full- me sports editor, that's heart-warming. People love reading stories about sports no ma er what they tell you. Even the person who will tell you they never watch sports on TV wants to know who's winning, who's doing good, who's made the cut, or who's going to the big event from their community etc. Our former publisher always told us sports sells newspapers and he's right. Well done to you all.

30 2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

James is the managing editor for NNSL Media based in Yellowknife and has been in the role since August 2022. Before that, he served as the sports editor - and s ll does, albeit in a somewhat reduced role - from July 2007 un l being asked to move into his current posi on.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

BEST HEADLINE WRITING 11 ENTRIES

1 2

3

THE INDEPENDENT SERVING PETROLIA AND CENTRAL LAMBTON HEATHER WRIGHT Coming soon to a farm field near you: Cricket poop - This is a good head, very catchy, and draws you into the ar cle. Unusual ar cle! Causing a Cow-mo on in Petrolia - Another good head. Humour and ac on ed in one.

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, THE LAKE REPORT KEVIN MACLEAN & RICHARD HARLEY Nicely done. These are crisp, sharp headlines.

FERGUS WELLINGTON ADVERTISER JOANNE SHUTTLEWORTH Nice plays on words. The headlines fit well with the ar cles.

Judge Sheena Read Freelance Journalist, Alberta

GENERAL COMMENT Good headlines should be short, crisp, and punchy. They need to grab the reader in a split second, because it's so easy just to flip by that ar cle. You need to get their a en on and draw it to the ar cle quickly. If you can play on words, that's fabulous!

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

Sheena Read has commi ed decades - yikes, yes decades - to communica ons. Based in southern Alberta, she is now involved in contract messaging and promo ons, with a focus and commitment on community building. She ponders the changes in communica ons and media and what the future holds with the twists and turns of social media. Read is a strong supporter of journalism.

2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

31

BEST POLICE/COURT STORY 8 ENTRIES

FERGUS WELLINGTON ADVERTISER - JORDAN SNOBELEN

1

In an absolutely heart wrenching and horrendous story, Jordan Snobelen tells the impact and pain felt by a vic m in an historical sexual assault-related crime in the community. The story is not only wellresearched and well-reported, but it gives voice to a vic m in a humane and understanding way that allows readers to be er understand a sensi ve topic.

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, THE LAKE REPORT - JULIA SACCO

2

An uncommon and unfortunate situa on is wri en about in a sensi ve and informa ve way by The Lake Report, but s ll touches on what is seen as in the community as important and necessary changes.

They cover this topic by highligh ng the importance the vic m had in the community and pu ng a human face on tragedy.

FORT FRANCES TIMES - ALLAN BRADBURY

3

Half the ba le can o en be showing up, but in breaking down an important court case for the community Allan Bradbury is able to tell readers about the important and dire story. Bradbury's repor ng is strong in summarizing a topic as concise as it is told.

Judge Greg Colgan Editor, Rocky Mountain Outlook, Canmore, AB

GENERAL COMMENT A good police and court story can en ce and intrigue readers with informa on that's ongoing in their community. In this case, the category had numerous op ons to choose from with all stories having interes ng and important stories to tell.

32 2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

Greg is the editor of the Rocky Mountain Outlook in the area of Banff and Canmore, Alberta. He has been a journalist for 15 years, working in Ontario and Alberta, and has had his work recognized at both a provincial and na onal level.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

BEST POLICE/COURT SERIES 6 ENTRIES

1

THE INDEPENDENT SERVING PETROLIA AND CENTRAL LAMBTON HEATHER WRIGHT A unique story p led to a high-quality on-the-ground inves ga on that had a rigorous amount of work done by Heather Wright to inform readers of what would've been an otherwise unlooked at topic in the community. In a follow up, Wright looks at the bigger picture and the impact it can have on a smaller community.

FERGUS WELLINGTON ADVERTISER - JORDAN SNOBELEN

2

What starts out as a breaking news story, is fleshed out by Jordan Snobelen with strong repor ng and wri ng that tells the story of the vic ms and con nues to follow the case as it goes to court. This ability to tell a story from start to finish is an essen al quality for reporters, but interviewing the vic ms gives the stories a greater edge in being able to inform the community.

EGANVILLE LEADER

3

A tragic crime in a small community tells the story of the vic m and the impact one person can have on other people's lives. The stories were able to pull readers into what the community was going through and show the humanity in an appalling topic.

Judge Greg Colgan Editor, Rocky Mountain Outlook, Canmore, AB

GENERAL COMMENT The category had a strong compe on of well-researched and reported stories, highligh ng the importance of telling accurate and interes ng court and police stories in local communi es. In an era where many court and police stories are o en overlooked, it's enriching to know there con nue to be resources and me dedicated to covering crucial community stories.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

Greg is the editor of the Rocky Mountain Outlook in the area of Banff and Canmore, Alberta. He has been a journalist for 15 years, working in Ontario and Alberta, and has had his work recognized at both a provincial and na onal level.

2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

33

DIVERSITY COVERAGE 20 ENTRIES

1 2 3

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, THE LAKE REPORT EVAN LOREE, KEVIN MACLEAN & SOMER SLOBODIAN Top-notch news repor ng and photography! A very nice touch by the editor/publisher to colour the tle of the newspaper. Bravo!

KITCHISSIPPI TIMES GABRIELLE HUSTON, CHARLIE SENACK & BRADLEY TURCOTTE A great series from the Kitchissippi newsroom! For online ar cles, and especially for the an -SOGI story, please include more digital assets like a video, hyperlinks and calls to ac on.

LISTOWEL BANNER MELISSA DUNPHY & DAN MCNEE Congratula ons to Dan and Melissa for their excellent repor ng! Watch for punctua on (dashes, quota on marks and square brackets inside quotes) and use proper grammar (modifiers ending in -ly are not hyphenated). The reporters also took strong images to accompany their pieces. Bravo!

Judge HONOURABLE MENTION Deep River North Renfrew Times - Terry Myers - In-depth repor ng and great photos! Be sure to follow CP Style for words and numbers and use proper punctua on.

GENERAL COMMENT It was great to read such diverse coverage about diversity in our communi es! Congratula ons to the newsrooms that delved into this important topic last year.

34 2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

Janis Cleugh Reporter & Copy Editor, Tri-City News, Coquitlam, BC Janis Cleugh is a mul media reporter covering city business, courts and the arts for the Tri-City News, a Glacier Media publica on that went digital-only in August 2023. She is also a copy editor, a paginator and a na onally cer fied proofreader. Janis has worked at community newspapers for more than 30 years in England, Scotland, Wales, Ontario and Bri sh Columbia. She is also a contest judge for AWNA, SWNA and QCNA, as well as for the Canadian Community Newspaper Awards (CCNA). In her spare me, Janis is the secretary of Editors BC, which in June 2024 is hos ng the Editors Canada conference in Vancouver.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

BEST GUEST/FREELANCE COLUMN 9 ENTRIES

LISTOWEL BANNER - HANIFE AJJO

1

From this strong pool of entries, this submission stood out. The story of my life, by Hanife Ajjo, recounted the writer’s experiences coming to Canada as a refugee from Syria. The wri ng was strong, the descrip ons were vivid, and the emo onal pull was powerful. This is an impressive accomplishment for any writer, but Ajjo is a 13-year-old elementary school student, which makes the column even more impressive.

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, THE LAKE REPORT - FRANK HAYES

2

In second place, Frank Hayes examined issues rela ng to cyclists and motorists on the roads for The Lake Report. His column, Drivers and cyclists deserve mutual respect, took an analy cal approach to a topic where responses o en become emo onally charged. The calm, even-handed tone may help to create an atmosphere of respec ul dialogue.

DEEP RIVER NORTH RENFREW TIMES - JENNA WALSH

3

In her column, Ba ling toxic advice on social media, columnist Jenna Walsh addressed the spread of misinforma on about nutri on. However, the column is relevant for all readers, since social media and online informa on is playing a growing role in how readers get informa on. This column took a careful approach in addressing an issue, but Walsh’s frustra on also shows through, adding an emo onal draw.

Judge John Arendt

GENERAL COMMENT This year, the guest columnist submissions were consistently strong.

Each was relevant, engaging, entertaining, informa ve, and worthy of a reader’s me and a en on. There is one important note for editors when publishing guest columns. Please make sure to add a tag line at the end of the column, telling something about the columnist’s background and qualifica ons in the field or experiences with the topic. Without this informa on, a reader has no way of knowing whether a column was wri en by an expert in the field or someone with an uninformed opinion.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

Editor, Summerland Review, Summerland, BC John Arendt is the editor of the Summerland Review in Bri sh Columbia. He has been working as a journalist for more than 30 years.

2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

35

HUMOUR COLUMNIST OF THE YEAR 8 ENTRIES

FERGUS WELLINGTON ADVERTISER - KELLY WATERHOUSE Smartly wri en, relevant, relatable and funny to boot, Kelly Waterhouse takes top billing.

1 ORONO WEEKLY TIMES - TED OSTER Enjoyable reading. Skillful storytelling rich with observa onal humour on topics relatable to a wide demographic.

2 DEEP RIVER NORTH RENFREW TIMES - VANCE GUTZMAN There is a lot of subtle skill and humour involved in the way Vance Guzman goes off on various tangents as he wends his way through a singular topic to illustrate his point. Bravo.

3

Judge Marlene Eisner

GENERAL COMMENT This was an enjoyable category to judge - a er all, who doesn't like to laugh? Although some missed the mark on humour, they were all good reads, so bravo to all of the columnists.

36 2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

Na onal Editor, RENO+DECOR magazine and Editor, New Home + Condo Guide Vancouver, Toronto, ON Marlene Eisner is a Toronto writer and the editor of RENO+DÉCOR magazine, which publishes in the GTA, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver, and Vancouver-based New Home and Condo Guide magazine. Prior to moving to Toronto in 2014, she was a reporter, associate editor and editor-in-chief at the Suburban Newspaper (1994-2007), and editor-in-chief at the NDG Free Press (2011-2014). She has won nine awards for her wri ng, including two gold awards from the Paren ng Publica ons of America Editorial Design Awards for Best News Feature (2002) and Best Column Review (2008), and first place in the Quebec Community Newspaper Associa on (QCNA) Awards for her column The Glass Ceiling (2006).

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

COLUMNIST OF THE YEAR 15 ENTRIES

LISTOWEL BANNER - STEWART SKINNER Skinner tackles very important issues with impressive background research knowledgeably and engagingly.

1 HALIBURTON COUNTY ECHO - STEVE GALEA Galea is just outright entertaining. Apologies to Jenn.

2 EGANVILLE LEADER - JOHANNA ZOMERS I found Zomers' columns to be stylis cally unique in a very personal and engaging way.

She has a way of saying a lot without wri ng a lot.

3 Judge

HONOURABLE MENTION MINDEN TIMES - JIM POLING SR. - Poling takes strong stands and does it in an organized and well-wri en manner. A columnist's columnist.

THE INDEPENDENT SERVING PETROLIA AND CENTRAL LAMBTON HEATHER WRIGHT - Wright takes an interes ng route to poignant conclusions. Very engaging.

GENERAL COMMENT Overall, I was impressed by the wri ng quality across the category, so it came down much more to imagina on and engagement (which is how I see the somewhat nebulous criteria of "reader appeal.")

Ul mately, I was torn between thought-provoking and entertaining and came down on the side of those columnists who were able to be both. Some of the entries challenged my concept of what cons tutes a column, but in good faith, I stuck to the category descrip on "locally wri en, non-syndicated and appears regularly." I was disappointed by how unnecessarily long some of them were. While I am all-too familiar with the pressure of filling space in an age of shrinking budgets and personnel, both writers and editors should consider the old adage that some mes less is more.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

Thom Barker Regional Editor, Black Press Media, Smithers Interior News, Terrace Standard, Ki mat Northern Sen nel, Prince Rupert Northern View, Haida Gwaii Observer, Northwest, BC A er gradua ng with a B.Sc. from Carleton University and taking a detour through the high-tech business, Thom started his journalism career as a fact-checker for a magazine in O awa in 2002. He quickly progressed to wri ng freelance features for various publica ons, but when he landed his first newspaper job with The Interior News in 2005, he knew he had found his calling. He is the winner of numerous journalism awards, perhaps most notable the 2008 CCNA Best Feature Story award for his coverage of the in-custody death of Ian Bush and subsequent coroner's inquest. He has previously been a finalist in both the columnist and editorial wri ng categories in the BCYCNA Ma Murray Awards. Thom believes strongly in the value of community news, par cularly in the digital era.

2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

37

REPORTER OF THE YEAR STEPHEN SHAW AWARD 8 ENTRIES

THE HALDIMAND PRESS - MIKE RENZELLA An excellent cross-sec on of repor ng. Mike Renzella tells stories when he writes news or features, especially the three topics he covered and submi ed for judging: PSTD Afghan War veteran; looking at the history and saving it from an unlicensed cemetery on private land; and concerns unveiled from a dog rescue loca on with ques onable prac ces.

1 NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE LOCAL - MIKE BALSOM An array of topics covered by reporter Mike Balsom, demonstra ng his veteran savvy as a storytelling journalist. From a story on dry stonewall to hatred in the community, followed up by heated council mee ng regarding developers wan ng to turn historic site into a subdivision, all well wri en for the paper's readers.

2 KITCHISSIPPI TIMES - CHARLIE SENACK A nice cross-sec on of repor ng from Charlie Senack, doing some in-depth research to tell the story, not just report it. Though I would have preferred to read it on an actual newspaper, not online, as I did with all the other entries.

3

Judge Jules Xavier Senior Sports Reporter, Brandon Sun, Brandon, MB

GENERAL COMMENT The top-four reporters quickly rose to the top among the eight par cipants (where are the rest of the newspapers taking part, showcasing their talent?). But Mike Renzella was perfect with a 45 thanks to his diversity of stories submi ed. All submi ed excellent reads!

Sponsored by: Ontario Power Genera on

38 2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

It has been 40 years since re red Brampton Guardian editor Lorne Drury offered him his first reporter job, and he is s ll going like the Energizer Bunny. Currently in Manitoba, a er a short re rement from looking a er the award-winning army newspaper Shilo Stag, he's now a senior sports reporter for the daily Brandon Sun. Xavier was with Shilo Stag for 12 years, the longest serving editor of the defunct newspaper, now an online product. He relocated from Vancouver Island following newspaper and radio jobs in Ontario, B.C., and Alberta. Being embedded among soldiers who are honing their figh ng skills for deployment to Ukraine or Latvia was a lot more fun than covering school board or city council mee ngs. But now he's having fun covering sports again, something he did in past journalism roles in Timmins, Ontario and Wetaskiwin, Alberta.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR 6 ENTRIES

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, THE LAKE REPORT DAVE VAN DE LAAR

1

There are some really nice shots here. Your sports shot is compact and has a really great expression. It could have used a ghter crop up top but overall, very strong. The birds are a really nice isola on of the subject using aperture and focal distance and your firetruck through the flooded road shows a really nice sense of composi on and capturing a moment. The parkway shot is a nice choice of angle and cropping. A strong por olio, congratula ons.

WINGHAM ADVANCE TIMES - CORY BILYEA

2

You've captured some really nice moments. Your tug of war shot features some really strong expressions, but I wonder if it would have worked be er as a horizontal shot that could have benefi ed from omi ng the sign in the bo om right of the shot. Your photo of the li le kid with the boat is really strong and demonstrates a keen eye for community news. Really nice work.

KITCHISSIPPI TIMES - ELLEN BOND

3

The child in the big pink jacket is a really great emo onal photo with great colours. The worker cu ng down the tree is a good moment, but slightly so on what looks like the subject, and could have used a straightening of the horizon, which could also have been addressed on the photo of the skier. However, the backlight on the tree is really outstanding. Overall, an impressive slate of images.

Judge

HONOURABLE MENTION WALKERTON HERALD TIMES - MIKE WILSON - The fire image is really compelling. I wish the exposure could have been taken down a ny bit to retain a bit more of the highlights in the sky but overall great.

You also captured a simple but interes ng moment with the man on the bridge and your sports photo captured a great moment as well.

The Pride flag photo may have benefi ed from straightening the ver cal lines of the flag and building and I would have liked to have seen the hockey shot's horizon evened out and cropped in a touch for impact, but a really funny moment/expression on the goalie helps it stand out. Nice work!.

GENERAL COMMENT

Arnold Lim Execu ve Producer, Black Press Video Networks, Victoria, BC Arnold Lim is the recipient of numerous BCYCNA, Jack Webster and CCNA photojournalism, videojournalism and filmmaking awards and has been photography manager for four Olympic Games. He is currently Execu ve Producer for the Black Press Video Networks where he has worked for 15 years.

I’ve always been a huge believer in the importance of photojournalism and the ability for visual storytelling to change lives and judging by the work on display in the OCNA submissions it’s clear this important and relevant work is in great hands. I was proud to see the excellent community photojournalists doing what they do best in a world that needs it more than ever.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

39

BEST FEATURE PHOTO, CIRC. OVER 10,000 5 ENTRIES

KITCHISSIPPI TIMES ELLEN BOND CORNWALL SEAWAY NEWS JASON SETNYK

1

This photo has decent perspec ve – and an interes ng look for the reader.

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, THE LAKE REPORT FRANK HAYES

3

This could use a ghter crop on the subject. A quarter of frame is empty behind her on the right.

2

This photo deserved be er than a page 7 placement and a be er crop would have taken this to the top. Easily best quality photo of the group.

Judge

HONOURABLE MENTION FERGUS WELLINGTON ADVERTISER - ROBIN GEORGE - There are two pics on front - both undercut each other - and one is a nominee.

Not enough for the standalone though? Larger and single shot of pic on page 2 would likely rate it higher.

Rob Brown Publisher, This Week in Dawson Creek, Dawson Creek, BC

GENERAL COMMENT Really a two horse race here. If you don't have names of the people in the photos - going to be tough to take a first place.

40 2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

Rob Brown, 45, has wri en daily for 31 years and owns This Week in Dawson Creek, replacing 80 years of regional print history a er the closure of the Alaska Highway News and Dawson Creek Mirror. He was the managing editor of the Dawson Creek Mirror, Northern Horizon, and Pipeline News North for eight years. His 17-year journalism career earned 25-plus awards, including nods for news story and photography of the year in Alberta and Manitoba. A 2005 Alberta Centennial Ci zen of the Year, 2017 Culture Ambassador for Northern BC, and the upcoming 2024 Silver Quill awardee, Brown released his first feature film, "Sukunka," in 2022. In 2023, he produced the 10-episode talk/variety show "Peace Region Xposure" on Op kTV. This year, he is preparing to direct his second wri en feature film, the thriller "Blind Dates.”

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

BEST FEATURE PHOTO, CIRC. UNDER 9,999 21 ENTRIES

MINDEN TIMES ADAM FRISK

1

Great stuff. Perhaps a crop to lose the BBQ and right area, and perhaps the cutline on the le of the image to draw the reader. Good shot here.

LISTOWEL BANNER DAN MCNEE

2

WINGHAM ADVANCE TIMES DAN MCNEE

Good solid work here. Where will it land.

3

Solid work and solid placement.

Local for focal (points).

Judge

HONOURABLE MENTION THE INDEPENDENT SERVING PETROLIA AND CENTRAL LAMBTON HEATHER WRIGHT - Nice work here.

Rob Brown Publisher, This Week in Dawson Creek, Dawson Creek, BC

GENERAL COMMENT Tight stuff at the top - with four points between 1st and honourable men on.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

Rob Brown, 45, has wri en daily for 31 years and owns This Week in Dawson Creek, replacing 80 years of regional print history a er the closure of the Alaska Highway News and Dawson Creek Mirror. He was the managing editor of the Dawson Creek Mirror, Northern Horizon, and Pipeline News North for eight years. His 17-year journalism career earned 25-plus awards, including nods for news story and photography of the year in Alberta and Manitoba. A 2005 Alberta Centennial Ci zen of the Year, 2017 Culture Ambassador for Northern BC, and the upcoming 2024 Silver Quill awardee, Brown released his first feature film, "Sukunka," in 2022. In 2023, he produced the 10-episode talk/variety show "Peace Region Xposure" on Op kTV. This year, he is preparing to direct his second wri en feature film, the thriller "Blind Dates.”

2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

41

BEST PHOTO LAYOUT 26 ENTRIES

THE HERALD SERVING NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, THAMESVILLE, DRESDEN THE LAKE REPORT & BOTHWELL RICHARD HARLEY, EVAN LOREE & SOMER SLOBODIAN HEATHER WRIGHT

1

This layout was by far the best of all the entries, so congrats to photographer Richard Harley. Strong lead image, lots of great shots of faces and apparently torren al rains captured well. My only construc ve cri cism is to add a li le more variety -- i.e., detail shots, different angles and sizes -- to the package.

KITCHISSIPPI TIMES ELLEN BOND, CÉLINE PAQUETTE & CHARLIE SENACK

2

Too many photo pages from car shows end up being a string of shots of just the fronts of cars.

Not the problem here. Heather Wright has lots of variety -- different sizes, detail shots, cars and people. One piece of construc ve cri cism: ensure the spacing between photos is consistent.

Lovely layout of Ellen Bond's photos, and while I don't generally favour photos inset into one another, I thought this was tastefully done on this page. I'd like to have seen a more variety of photos, fewer shots of people looking at the camera. Also -- and I know this isn't necessarily under the control of the page editor -- the two small ads on the bo om right of the spread should have been moved on to another page to provide a nice, clean, modular space for this package.

Judge

HONOURABLE MENTION CORNWALL SEAWAY NEWS - A lot to like on this page in terms of variety of pix by Colleen Pare e. However, too many were the same size, meaning I wasn't sure what to look at first. Lose the submi ed photo and the two cutouts and play with the sizes of the others to make this a strong page. Also -- and I say this as a writer and editor - I would've had more space for photos and MUCH less for text.

GENERAL COMMENT I'll preface this by saying I know that every entrant is struggling with insufficient resources, me being the biggest, so I appreciate your efforts to s ll do photojournalism. That said, this was not the strongest set of entries I've judged in this category. Common issues include poor photography, lack of variety of photos and unimagina ve layouts. A number of entries seemed like a stack of photos thrown on the page without thought given to conveying a story or any visual informa on. Several had crea ve layouts that looked more like ads than editorial. Whenever you're doing a layout, you need to tell the reader what they should be looking at (by size and prominence of photos) and what it's about. Just giving them a bunch of pix isn't enough.

42 2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

3

Richard Dal Monte Freelance Editor and Writer, Former Editor, The Tri-City News, Colquitlam, BC Richard Dal Monte is a freelance writer and editor who worked in community newspapers in B.C. for 34 years — the last 19 years as editor of The Tri-City News — before his termina on during the early days of the pandemic. He has won more than 20 corporate, provincial, na onal and interna onal journalism awards individually and as a team leader and is the recipient of a News Media Canada Silver Quill Award. He now writes and edits for a variety of news organiza ons, universi es, non-profit and corporate clients.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

BEST SPORTS PHOTO 20 ENTRIES

NEW LISKEARD TEMISKAMING SPEAKER SUE NIELSEN

1

Solid work here. Easily rose to the top.

DEEP RIVER NORTH RENFREW TIMES VANCE GUTZMAN

2

Great photo and subject. Why not on the front page?

PICTON GAZETTE JASON PARKS A great moment in me caught.

Nice stuff.

Judge

HONOURABLE MENTION FORT FRANCES TIMES - DANIEL ADAM - Great photo - get it out of the collage and on the front page.

3

Rob Brown Publisher, This Week in Dawson Creek, Dawson Creek, BC

GENERAL COMMENT Some good stuff here. Best sports photo is tough to award if it wasn't even the best to make the front of the sports sec on or front of the paper. If it is in a collage? If it wasn't worth the real estate in the paper to stand alone - how could it be best sports pic of the year, you know?

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

Rob Brown, 45, has wri en daily for 31 years and owns This Week in Dawson Creek, replacing 80 years of regional print history a er the closure of the Alaska Highway News and Dawson Creek Mirror. He was the managing editor of the Dawson Creek Mirror, Northern Horizon, and Pipeline News North for eight years. His 17-year journalism career earned 25-plus awards, including nods for news story and photography of the year in Alberta and Manitoba. A 2005 Alberta Centennial Ci zen of the Year, 2017 Culture Ambassador for Northern BC, and the upcoming 2024 Silver Quill awardee, Brown released his first feature film, "Sukunka," in 2022. In 2023, he produced the 10-episode talk/variety show "Peace Region Xposure" on Op kTV. This year, he is preparing to direct his second wri en feature film, the thriller "Blind Dates.”

2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

43

bEST SPOT NEWS PHOTO 18 ENTRIES

AYLMER EXPRESS ROB PERRY NEW LISKEARD TEMISKAMING SPEAKER SUE NIELSEN

1

Sue Nielsen's photo has incredible visual impact. A huge fireball, two firefighters facing the flames. Probably not the biggest story given the number of people directly affected but a heck of a drama c shot.

2

Rob Perry's photo has a cinema c quality, even though it's a pre y standard pic of firefighters' backs in the foreground, a fire in the background. S ll, great job capturing all this at night.

THE INDEPENDENT SERVING PETROLIA AND CENTRAL LAMBTON HEATHER WRIGHT

3

Heather Wright's photo tells a story of the a ermath of a storm. It would've been stronger a) without the type on top of it and b) cropped ghter on the sides, so the focus was directed to the people in the pic more effec vely.

Judge Richard Dal Monte

GENERAL COMMENT First to the entrants who aren't in the top 3: Some of you entered photos that aren't spot news, but photos from events that could have been planned for - not bad photos, but not spot news. Some other ps: get closer, make sure you have people in the photos, and crop more ghtly.

Freelance Editor and Writer, Former Editor, The Tri-City News, Colquitlam, BC Richard Dal Monte is a freelance writer and editor who worked in community newspapers in B.C. for 34 years — the last 19 years as editor of The Tri-City News — before his termina on during the early days of the pandemic. He has won more than 20 corporate, provincial, na onal and interna onal journalism awards individually and as a team leader and is the recipient of a News Media Canada Silver Quill Award. He now writes and edits for a variety of news organiza ons, universi es, non-profit and corporate clients.

Sponsored by: Midwestern Newspapers

44 2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

BEST NEWS PHOTO 15 ENTRIES

EGANVILLE LEADER MIKE YEAS

2

This photographer was in the right place at the right me while covering a farmer's market, snapping the second-place image of heavy winds tossing canopies and vendors' goods around the parking lot. It played big on the front page, though it should have had a cap on/cutline. And box that front page photo. I thought the image went with the story below.

LISTOWEL BANNER DAN MCNEE

1

This is an excellent capture of Chris Kurz, not posed, but of him carrying a truck re above his head during a half-mile fundraiser. It captured the emo onal expression of the subject.

NIAGARA-ON-THELAKE LOCAL

3

While this photo is a bit blurry and is lost on a page of heavy colour ads, it's s ll a good news photo, showing the poten al danger at a crime scene with police brandishing an AR15 SWAT weapon. However, this photograph might have scored higher if not for the technically poor quality. The key is to make use of your zoom/telephoto lens and fill the frame. But at least the reporter no ced it and snapped the photo.

Judge Jules Xavier Senior Sports Reporter, Brandon Sun, Brandon, MB

GENERAL COMMENT It was no easy task choosing top-three best news photo from the 15 entries. Photographers/reporters need to work the event from a 360degree perspec ve, use their lens and tell a story from what they focus on in their digital cameras. Plus, fill the frame when you are covering a scheduled or unscheduled event where you have an opportunity for advanced planning and crea ve control. Don't just point an iPhone camera at the event, thinking you have a news photo for the editor to use with a story or stand-alone. The winners did just that.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

It has been 40 years since re red Brampton Guardian editor Lorne Drury offered him his first reporter job, and he is s ll going like the Energizer Bunny. Currently in Manitoba, a er a short re rement from looking a er the award-winning army newspaper Shilo Stag, he's now a senior sports reporter for the daily Brandon Sun. Xavier was with Shilo Stag for 12 years, the longest serving editor of the defunct newspaper, now an online product. He relocated from Vancouver Island following newspaper and radio jobs in Ontario, B.C., and Alberta. Being embedded among soldiers who are honing their figh ng skills for deployment to Ukraine or Latvia was a lot more fun than covering school board or city council mee ngs. But now he's having fun covering sports again, something he did in past journalism roles in Timmins, Ontario and Wetaskiwin, Alberta.

2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

45

MOST CREATIVE GRIP & GRIN PHOTO 5 ENTRIES

NIAGARA-ON-THELAKE, THE LAKE REPORT DAVE VAN DE LAAR

1

CORNWALL SEAWAY NEWS KRYSTINE THERRIAULT

2

This posed shot I think works well. Nice, This photo captures the excitement, and it bright, catchy colours that relate with the feels like I am actually there with them! Nice subject of community fun. job.

KITCHISSIPPI TIMES ZENITH WOLFE

3

Really nice, clean and friendly photo. Just not sure what the subject was without reading the tle and ar cle. Thanks for including the link to the ar cle! :)

Judge Andrea Hillo Andrea Hillo, Publisher and Graphic Design, Haliburton, ON

GENERAL COMMENT Every picture tells a story and the community newspapers in Ontario con nue to represent their local communi es so well! All photos did just that. The top three photos stood out because of the emo on they brought out with a single shot - the photos brought the moment to life. Great job by everyone!

46 2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

Andrea’s design passion and crea ve thinking have afforded her the privilege of working with some of Canada’s leading forces of art and culture, including ar st Michael Dumas, author Roy MacGregor, ar st/musician Mendelson Joe, and legendary naturalist/ar st Robert Bateman. She is an award winning freelance graphic ar st and independent book publisher who has owned her own community newspaper and is a past OCNA award winner, judge and member. Andrea has worked in the newspaper/publishing industry for over 30 years.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

COMMUNITY SERVICE 4 ENTRIES

1 2 3

DEEP RIVER NORTH RENFREW TIMES MUNICIPAL ELECTION This is what community journalism is. Giving each candidate a chance to tell the readers why they're running, followed by hos ng their own town hall-type mee ngs. You wouldn't normally see a community media outlet take this on, but when it comes to elec ons, people need to hear who their choices are.

AYLMER EXPRESS 3 PORT TOUR Nice community story about what seems to be an important event. Looks to be well-publicized if there's more than 300 riders taking part. It's always good to see local publica ons take on sponsorship of big events because it's good adver sing.

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, THE LAKE REPORT OFF TO THE RACES - SPECIAL EDITION: ELECTION 2022 A nice special sec on for municipal elec on me, which is always in need of a kick in the pants when it comes to turnout. It's complete and well done, which hopefully readers took to heart come elec on me.

Judge James McCarthy Managing Editor, Northern News Services Ltd., Nunavut and NWT

GENERAL COMMENT Some nice stories, but the elec on coverage is always a big deal for me. The Deep River North Renfrew Times organizing town hall-type mee ngs for candidates was impressive because that's what people want to hear. They want to know how the candidates will deal with the issues. That impressed me the most.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

James is the managing editor for NNSL Media based in Yellowknife and has been in the role since August 2022. Before that, he served as the sports editor - and s ll does, albeit in a somewhat reduced role - from July 2007 un l being asked to move into his current posi on.

2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

47

BEST FRONT PAGE, CIRC. OVER 10,000 6 ENTRIES

CORNWALL SEAWAY NEWS Great stuff here. Photo sells this with robust ad presenta on. Great stuff.

1

LISTOWEL INDEPENDENT PLUS Good mix of business on the front.

2

FERGUS WELLINGTON ADVERTISER

3

Be er crop on the photo - a second photo subject below fold. Lots of words here. Newsy stuff certainly.

Judge

HONOURABLE MENTION PICTON GAZETTE - Simple and straigh orward. Basic mix. Recrea on permits - hot news week.

Rob Brown Publisher, This Week in Dawson Creek, Dawson Creek, BC

GENERAL COMMENT Really a ght race for third. Amazing when the right photo locks in.

48 2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

Rob Brown, 45, has wri en daily for 31 years and owns This Week in Dawson Creek, replacing 80 years of regional print history a er the closure of the Alaska Highway News and Dawson Creek Mirror. He was the managing editor of the Dawson Creek Mirror, Northern Horizon, and Pipeline News North for eight years. His 17-year journalism career earned 25-plus awards, including nods for news story and photography of the year in Alberta and Manitoba. A 2005 Alberta Centennial Ci zen of the Year, 2017 Culture Ambassador for Northern BC, and the upcoming 2024 Silver Quill awardee, Brown released his first feature film, "Sukunka," in 2022. In 2023, he produced the 10-episode talk/variety show "Peace Region Xposure" on Op kTV. This year, he is preparing to direct his second wri en feature film, the thriller "Blind Dates.”

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

BEST FRONT PAGE, CIRC. UNDER 9,999 22 ENTRIES

AYLMER EXPRESS Great front page. Jammed news edi on.

1

FORT FRANCES TIMES Busy and strong.

2

NEW LISKEARD TEMISKAMING SPEAKER

3

Big news week.

Judge HONOURABLE MENTION LISTOWEL BANNER - Very nice news package here.

Rob Brown Publisher, This Week in Dawson Creek, Dawson Creek, BC

GENERAL COMMENT First and second were close, but a 7 way e for third had to be broken.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

Rob Brown, 45, has wri en daily for 31 years and owns This Week in Dawson Creek, replacing 80 years of regional print history a er the closure of the Alaska Highway News and Dawson Creek Mirror. He was the managing editor of the Dawson Creek Mirror, Northern Horizon, and Pipeline News North for eight years. His 17-year journalism career earned 25-plus awards, including nods for news story and photography of the year in Alberta and Manitoba. A 2005 Alberta Centennial Ci zen of the Year, 2017 Culture Ambassador for Northern BC, and the upcoming 2024 Silver Quill awardee, Brown released his first feature film, "Sukunka," in 2022. In 2023, he produced the 10-episode talk/variety show "Peace Region Xposure" on Op kTV. This year, he is preparing to direct his second wri en feature film, the thriller "Blind Dates.”

2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

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BEST VERTICAL PRODUCT 9 ENTRIES

1 2 3

CORNWALL SEAWAY NEWS CORNWALL LIVING One hundred and sixteen pages of top quality work by the team at the Cornwall Seaway News.

Beau fully designed with a contemporary approach, the editorial package is informa ve with professional photos and portraiture rounding out this magazine's overall success. From its terrific cover through to the many diverse ads, this magazine is a standout and would compete with the best out there from much larger markets. Really well done. Congratula ons.

FORT FRANCES TIMES TOUR DE FORT 30TH ANNIVERSARY The Fort Frances Times has a winner in the Tour de Fort publica on which features the history of a special concert series spanning 30 years. Many of the performers were up and comers back in their Fort concert days and are now well known on the Canadian and interna onal music scenes. This sec on shows how forward thinking the community is in suppor ng the arts but also how the paper iden fied a new revenue stream and cra ed interes ng ar st profiles. Great idea, unique in concept.

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, THE LAKE REPORT NOTL: A GUIDE FOR DISTINGUISHED EXPLORERS: SUMMER 2023 A very pre y special sec on with a dis nc ve tle, the Guide for Dis nguished Explorers has a real charm to it and not just because the Niagara area offers great subject ma er. This special edi on invites the reader in star ng with the nicely wri en introduc on by the editor and a page dedicated to featuring the writers who contributed to the content. Nothing pedestrian here. It's lovely, comprehensive and stylish and with lots of ads and a page count most publishers can only dream of.

Well done.

Judge Penny Sakamoto Re red Group Publisher, Black Press Media, Greater Victoria, BC

GENERAL COMMENT The OCNA members which entered this category should all be commended for reflec ng their hometowns - the special events, celebra ons, and lifestyles. Congratula ons to the staff for their hard work and dedica on, from the adver sing sales representa ves to the crea ve and editorial teams. Not to men on the circula on departments (or individuals) who take the final step in the process and distribute these special edi ons. It’s a challenging me for all media and these OCNA papers prove just how resilient community papers can be…and ul mately how very important community papers are to local markets.

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Penny Sakamoto’s media career has spanned over 40 years in Canada and the United States. She graduated from journalism school in Winnipeg, was a reporter in Montreal and founded an award winning community newspaper in Revelstoke BC. She went on to execu ve posi ons, including Director of Special Projects at the Honolulu Star-Bulle n in Hawaii and has consulted for major media companies throughout the US and Canada. In 2022, she was honoured with the BCYCNA Life me Achievement Award for dis nguished service to the newspaper industry. Now re red, Penny is chasing her grandchildren rather than those daily deadlines.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

BEST SPORTS SECTION 13 ENTRIES

EGANVILLE LEADER

1

A great sec on. It is nice to see high school coverage but would like to see more sports feature wri ng.

Good ac on captures, and not heavy on team photos.

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE LOCAL

2

Also a great sec on, but there's more to sports than hockey. Where's the high school sports coverage, which goes September to June? It's nice to see sports features, but ac on photos are vital to a sports sec on. Good to see it here.

ST. MARYS INDEPENDENT

3

Nice to see an actual sports sec on, but provide the readers with more features, versus game ac on stories. Nice to see ac on shots but avoid team photos. Parents can take those and frame at home in the trophy case. Ac on vs inac on!

Judge Jules Xavier Senior Sports Reporter, Brandon Sun, Brandon, MB

GENERAL COMMENT What happened to a sports sec on ... best sports pages more appropriate. Why? Community newspapers in Ontario have relegated sports coverage as an a erthought based on these edi ons. Where are the other community newspapers which should be involved here? And what happened to high school coverage from September to June? A major part of the sports community, not just hockey! Nice use of colour for the hockey ac on shots on some pages but use more ac on instead of team photos or official puck dropping.

Ac on versus inac on. Any sports stats? Blend in some sports features, profile your coaches and athletes. Not just describe how each goal is scored. Close with the top-three. The winning papers had a sports sec on, not a few sports pages buried at the back.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

It has been 40 years since re red Brampton Guardian editor Lorne Drury offered him his first reporter job, and he is s ll going like the Energizer Bunny. Currently in Manitoba, a er a short re rement from looking a er the award-winning army newspaper Shilo Stag, he's now a senior sports reporter for the daily Brandon Sun. Xavier was with Shilo Stag for 12 years, the longest serving editor of the defunct newspaper, now an online product. He relocated from Vancouver Island following newspaper and radio jobs in Ontario, B.C., and Alberta. Being embedded among soldiers who are honing their figh ng skills for deployment to Ukraine or Latvia was a lot more fun than covering school board or city council mee ngs. But now he's having fun covering sports again, something he did in past journalism roles in Timmins, Ontario and Wetaskiwin, Alberta.

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SPECIAL SECTION 21 ENTRIES

1 2 3

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, THE LAKE REPORT OFF TO THE RACES - SPECIAL EDITION: ELECTION 2022 Wow, that's the most powerful, reader friendly elec on sec on I've seen. Even be er than mine (hehe).

A very interes ng blend of editorial and paid adver sing, packaged well to help voters. Good strong editorial, and neat that all adver sing has to follow same forma ng. Plus, you had a lot of buy in with most candidates par cipa ng. Clean layout makes it even more appealing. Tremendous job.

FORT FRANCES TIMES HEALTH & WELLNESS Strong, well-thought out selec on of stories. Liked the subject icons and the mix of pictures and graphics. Like the divide of stories (le and right), although some mes crammed in a li le ght - with not enough space in between. Wondering why black and white on some pages. Odd in this day and age didn't believe there was much to be saved financially, but I could be way off. In layout, most of the ar cles were jus fied, but there were only a handful that ran flush le and those were much cleaner and easier to read. Some strong layout, especially with thought around use of graphics, but not as good when it came to pictures. Nicely done. Expect you had good reader reac on to this.

THE HALDIMAND PRESS FARMS: HARVEST 2023 Some very interes ng stories, ie. subjects such as manure, drones, and 4-H. Good adver sing support and ads are designed well. Like the Harvest Hannah contest, as well as the games/ac vi es and recipes.

Some pictures lacked people, but overall, a nice solid sec on.

Judge Roxanne Hooper

GENERAL COMMENT Some impressive sec ons this year. Some repeats. Liked the selec on. Many of them were given some serious thought when it came to providing the readers with interes ng and relevant stories.

Kudos to all, especially the winners this year.

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Group Editor, Langley Advance Times, Aldergrove Star & Maple Ridge-Pi Meadows News, Langley, BC Roxanne Hooper has been in the newspaper industry since age 15, star ng her career right in Langley – at the then Langley Advance.

While she has also worked for newspapers in Abbotsford, Mission, Maple Ridge-Pi Meadows, and Kamloops, she has a strong passion for sharing stories about the people in her hometown of Langley. Needless to say, she was excited to return to the local team in 2006 as a reporter. She has since taken over the leadership role in the newsroom as editor. And since then, taken on editor du es for two other papers. She’s said she wakes up every day excited about what new challenges will befall this evolving industry and moreover what exci ng stories she and the team will find and share within their community.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

BEST FEATURE/UNIT PAGES 15 ENTRIES

1 2

3

LISTOWEL INDEPENDENT PLUS HURON COUNTY PLOWING MATCH Nice feature! Great use of background images to e all the pages together. Love the diverse layout, and interes ng story! The story gave a bit of history and explained what to expect at the event. Nice work!

FERGUS WELLINGTON ADVERTISER EQUINE Love the scrapbook feel with the added rivets on the photos. Good stories, appealing to lots of interest areas. Nice ads to support as well.

NORTH WELLINGTON COMMUNITY NEWS FAMILY DAY Love the header at the top of the pages. Great story with history and current info. Very nice ads to support the feature.

Judge Amanda Zimmer Publisher, Claresholm Local Press, Claresholm, AB

GENERAL COMMENT This year's entries were all really well done. You can see the pride and passion the newspaper staff have for their communi es and the subjects.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

Amanda Zimmer is the publisher of the Claresholm Local Press and has been in the community newspaper business for 25 years as a graphic designer. She gained her first experience working in a print shop as her a er school job in high school. She completed her Prin ng Management Technologies diploma at SAIT, taking her prac cum at the Local Press. She truly believes volunteers make a community and has given back with various organiza ons throughout the years. She is also on the AWNA board of directors.

Amanda loves living in a small community and being a part of the connec on people have to each other through their paper. She believes the newspaper is the hub of their community and loves to see people reading and sharing it.

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BEST CREATIVE AD 13 ENTRIES

EGANVILLE LEADER - JUDY HANKE Great use of colour in this medium. Good visual. Lots of copy...but it's laid out for easy read. Good job.

1

DEEP RIVER NORTH RENFREW TIMES - JANE BARKLEY Strong visual. Can't miss this ad when turning the page. The palm leaves? Not sure how they connect, but they add some nice colour...just might not have picked palm leaves unless you are adding other tropical picnic imagery elsewhere in the layout.

2

NORTH WELLINGTON COMMUNITY NEWS - ALICIA ROZA

3

Great fes ve theme for the ad that matches the event. Was drawn in to read all the details...even in the images.

HONOURABLE MENTION NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, THE LAKE REPORT - RICHARD HARLEY - I'm not sure that this qualifies as an ad...it's a birth announcement. Nicely done though!

GENERAL COMMENT It's a tough market for community newspapers right now...so many have ceased print. It's a tough economy for your adver sers as well.

Con nue to work hard so that their ad dollars really get their monies worth!

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Judge Wayne Aubert Professor, Adver sing and Marke ng Communica ons Management Program, Mohawk College, ON Wayne Aubert is a Professor at Mohawk College in Hamilton, teaching in Adver sing and Common Business. Prior to his work at Mohawk, he produced MANY MANY newspaper ads for the Ontario Government, KFC, and Jaguar, just to name a few. He misses receiving his Mountain News each week.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

IN HOUSE PROMOTION 9 ENTRIES

CORNWALL SEAWAY NEWS

1

Really love the use of the colours and white space. Very clean, a rac ve ad that delivers a great message to readers.

THE HALDIMAND PRESS

2

This is a very cool idea. I’m sure that most readers wouldn't have a clue how a newspaper gets put together. Love this!

FERGUS WELLINGTON ADVERTISER - ALICIA ROZA

3

Excellent message and especially love the layout. A mely response to a mely subject so congrats to the designer and idea person on this one.

Judge Brian Gilroy General Manager, Swan Valley Star & Times, Swan River, MB

GENERAL COMMENT I loved seeing the different ways of reminding readers as to the importance of their local newspaper, as well as some of the services offered. In a me like we are in, the more too ng of our own horns, the be er. We've spent way too many years helping other businesses thrive and survive - it's me we helped ourselves as well. Excellent work by all.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

I am a second-genera on newspaper publisher who, along with my siblings, currently own and operate 5 community newspapers in Manitoba. Growing up in the industry, and delivering papers from a young age, put ink in my veins. I have been working full me in the industry for over 30 years now and, despite the challenges that come frequently these days, s ll love it as much as ever. I live in Swan River, MB and wear many hats - publisher, general manager, adver sing coordinator, columnist, and feature writer for the Swan Valley Star & Times. I’m an idea guy and love to grow and evolve what we do here and have every reason to believe there will con nue to be a place for community newspapers for genera ons to come.

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LOCAL RETAIL LAYOUT 10 ENTRIES

FERGUS WELLINGTON ADVERTISER - STEVE GILHOLM Beau ful layout and design. Including the history makes the ad interes ng, informa ve and catches the a en on of the reader. Great Job!

1

CORNWALL SEAWAY NEWS I really like the concept of this full page ad for the local retail category. It introduces the reader to local businesses and the people who operate them. Simple yet effec ve. Good work!

2

MANITOULIN EXPOSITOR

3

This ad is effec ve as a local retail ad as it shows all the different products available under one roof.

Light background colours work well with the red banners. Nice job.

HONOURABLE MENTION NORTH WELLINGTON COMMUNITY NEWS - ALICIA ROZA - The colours in this ad are really great. It’s a beau ful and informa ve ad.

Great job by the designer!

Judge Andrea Hillo Andrea Hillo, Publisher and Graphic Design, Haliburton, ON

GENERAL COMMENT It's so great to see the design work the community newspapers con nually create. All the submissions were top notch. The top three stood out from the others with their dedica on to their local communi es. They showcased the adver ser’s message by including images and ideas that are specific to their area. Personalizing the retail ad to fit their community and the values of the adver sers helped them win in this category.

Andrea’s design passion and crea ve thinking have afforded her the privilege of working with some of Canada’s leading forces of art and culture, including ar st Michael Dumas, author Roy MacGregor, ar st/musician Mendelson Joe, and legendary naturalist/ar st Robert Bateman. She is an award winning freelance graphic ar st and independent book publisher who has owned her own community newspaper and is a past OCNA award winner, judge and member. Andrea has worked in the newspaper/publishing industry for over 30 years.

Sponsored by: Metro Crea ve Graphics

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ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

ORIGINAL AD IDEA 9 ENTRIES

PORT PERRY, THE STANDARD - COLLEEN GREEN

1 2

I found this ad to be truly unique for a Mother's Day ad, an original and humourous way to adver se a func onal item such as eyeglasses. You can't help being drawn to this fun-loving duo who don't take themselves too seriously - the message is as clear as the look on their faces and eyewear they are holding.

FORT FRANCES TIMES - AUSTIN BROWN, LEANNE DONALDSON & LINCOLN DUNN Top points for the creators of this ad for having a sense of humour and knowing the value of word play.

The retro recliners brought me 'way back' too, including the reference to plas c furniture covers. Very crea ve and original, including the old-fashioned layout.

LISTOWEL BANNER - JANINE MARTIN

3

Many papers feature ads promo ng local shopping, but I found the focus and layout of this ad to be very original. The use of red and green Christmas colours is a great seasonal e-in to catch the eye, as is the 12 days of Christmas theme. Finally, the shops are not random; instead, each one meets a specific need (to enjoy delicious food, to discover hidden gems, etc.) which further adds to its appeal and impact.

Good job.

Judge Marlene Eisner

GENERAL COMMENT Ads are a vital part of a newspaper, as they bring in important revenue. Catching the readers' eye with crea ve ads helps the adver ser grow their clientele, and the consumer find what they are looking for. This was a close contest, with many interes ng and crea ve ads offering an original way to sell everyday products and services.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

Na onal Editor, RENO+DECOR magazine and Editor, New Home + Condo Guide Vancouver, Toronto, ON Marlene Eisner is a Toronto writer and the editor of RENO+DÉCOR magazine, which publishes in the GTA, Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver, and Vancouver-based New Home and Condo Guide magazine. Prior to moving to Toronto in 2014, she was a reporter, associate editor and editor-in-chief at the Suburban Newspaper (1994-2007), and editor-in-chief at the NDG Free Press (2011-2014). She has won nine awards for her wri ng, including two gold awards from the Paren ng Publica ons of America Editorial Design Awards for Best News Feature (2002) and Best Column Review (2008), and first place in the Quebec Community Newspaper Associa on (QCNA) Awards for her column The Glass Ceiling (2006).

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BEST USE OF COLOUR 9 ENTRIES 11 ENTRIES

KINCARDINE INDEPENDENT - BECKY GREBENJAK Nice bright colours, instant recogni on of the subject and nice opportunity for grouping adver sers and sponsors. Great job!

1

FERGUS WELLINGTON ADVERTISER - STEVE GILHOLM

2

Big, bold and beau ful! Great use of colour, clean fonts and clear message. Nice photo and graphics show off the subject of ad nicely. Good job!

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, THE LAKE REPORT - RICHARD HARLEY

3

So great. I really love this ad. It’s clean and no nonsense. Ini ally my favourite, I felt there could have been a bit more use of colour for this par cular category. Beau ful ad.

Judge HONOURABLE MENTION NORTH WELLINGTON COMMUNITY NEWS - ALICIA ROZA - Fresh, bright colours make this ad pop. Nice job!

Andrea Hillo Andrea Hillo, Publisher and Graphic Design, Haliburton, ON

GENERAL COMMENT The use of colour is always tricky and the top three nailed it. The colours need to be though ul for reproduc on on newsprint as well as the type of business/event being adver sed. Overall, all submissions were well done crea ve and would certainly grab the a en on of readers. Good work by all community newspapers! All designers should be proud of the work they achieve on ght deadlines and quick turnover.

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Andrea’s design passion and crea ve thinking have afforded her the privilege of working with some of Canada’s leading forces of art and culture, including ar st Michael Dumas, author Roy MacGregor, ar st/musician Mendelson Joe, and legendary naturalist/ar st Robert Bateman. She is an award winning freelance graphic ar st and independent book publisher who has owned her own community newspaper and is a past OCNA award winner, judge and member. Andrea has worked in the newspaper/publishing industry for over 30 years.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

BEST ONLINE EXPERIENCE 5 ENTRIES

HALIBURTON, THE HIGHLANDER COUNTY ELECTION - PODCAST: WHAT ARE WE DOING?

1 2

3

While the combined category proved a challenge to judge, this package was the most comprehensive and absolutely provided the best online experience. The print grid augmented by podcasts are an incredible way to reach new audiences. The issues and candidates are clearly laid out in the print product with sidebars sending the reader to a series of podcasts on hot taxpayer topics.

HALIBURTON, THE HIGHLANDER DORSET: FOREST FIREFIGHTING MINI DOCUMENTARY The video alone would benefit from some voice/text over to explain the when and where of what's happening. However, alongside the story, it's an important and informa ve package. Great job providing readers the only glimpse (as noted in the descrip on) of the challenges firefighters faced. The variety of shots shows the effort the videographer took to tell the story.

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, THE LAKE REPORT NOTL INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY Nice different approach on this one. You can see the effort to get something a li le different. A trimmer version, or with some voice over or more text would have helped as a standalone video.

Judge Christine van Reeuwyk Senior Journalist, Oak Bay News, Oak Bay, BC

GENERAL COMMENT The combining of categories compounded by a lack of descrip ons in the space provided made this a challenging category to judge. It was, however, fantas c to see people thinking outside the box for items that occur every year (celebra ng women) or every few years (elec ons) and taking breaking news to the next level.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

A er finishing journalism school in 2002, Chris ne van Reeuwyk returned home to Vancouver Island to embark on a career. She has since worked in newsrooms from Victoria to Port Hardy and back again. A mul award winner on the provincial and na onal level, Chris ne has worked as editor of Black Press papers across Greater Victoria and now serves the community of Oak Bay.

2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

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BEST COMMUNITY WEBSITE/ WEBPORTAL, CIRC. OVER 10,000 9 ENTRIES 4

1 2

3

FERGUS WELLINGTON ADVERTISER WELLINGTONADVERTISER.COM Twelve different channels at the top of the home page and nineteen regions to select which is well displayed and easy to navigate. Liked the interac vity of this site where one can submit LETTER, SPORTS, FAMILY AD, CLASSIFED AD, EVENT, AUCTION & more importantly submit NEWS + ADS. The mobile device reading experience would be be er with shorter headlines and less story copy displayed.

CORNWALL SEAWAY NEWS CORNWALLSEAWAYNEWS.COM Liked the frequency of pos ng to keep the site current to readers. Room to improve visual layout of the website including picture used for the story.

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, THE LAKE REPORT NIAGARANOW.COM Nicely displayed the digital edi on of the newspaper. Would like to see shorter and bold (visually) headlines and less story copy displayed to improve online experience.

Judge Alvin Chow Publisher, Richmond News, Richmond, BC

GENERAL COMMENT When it comes to judging the best community website, emphasis was based on naviga ng through the mobile device because on average between 70%-75% of your web traffic will be coming from mobile device instead of desktop. It was a delighted experience to review this year's entries where they all offered a lot within and beyond the scoring criteria. Congratula ons to all the contestants and thanks for your hard work!

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Alvin Chow is the Publisher of the Richmond News and Vice President, Na onal Adver sing Sales at Glacier Media Group. He started his newspaper career at the Edmonton Journal in 1993 and over the last 30 years with various sales roles for Southam, Canwest and Postmedia. In 2016 he joined Glacier Media as VP, Na onal Sales, Western Canada and then in 2018 also assumed the Publisher role for the Richmond News. He is a member of the Marke ng Commi ee for News Media Canada and Vice Chair of the Board for NABS West.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

BEST COMMUNITY WEBSITE/ WEBPORTAL, CIRC. UNDER 9,999 10 ENTRIES

1 2 3

FORT FRANCES TIMES FFTIMES.COM This site is easy to navigate. They could slow down the speed of main ar cles switching, and the logo could be larger on the home page. A nice balance of ads and ar cles. Nice, clean design. Good job!

THE HALDIMAND PRESS HALDIMANDPRESS.COM I like the list of different towns covered by paper sub categories on the homepage. The OPP briefs are a great addi on and I like the digital day pass idea a lot.

AYR NEWS AYRNEWS.CA I like the look of this home page. I really like the simplicity, giving it that small town, community feel. I like the fact that you can see "this week's" front page. It’s temp ng me to buy a subscrip on! :) I wish there was a few ads.

Judge Andrea Hillo Andrea Hillo, Publisher and Graphic Design, Haliburton, ON

GENERAL COMMENT It was interes ng comparing the different websites. What a great job they've all done! The websites offer a be er look at the communi es they represent, and some have added extra informa on like history, archives, weather, police briefs and adver sements that are important to the community. Although many are similar, they all have their own personalized look and func ons. The top three stood out for being a bit different than the others. They were informa ve, easy to navigate and le me wan ng more! Congratula ons to all submissions!

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

Andrea’s design passion and crea ve thinking have afforded her the privilege of working with some of Canada’s leading forces of art and culture, including ar st Michael Dumas, author Roy MacGregor, ar st/musician Mendelson Joe, and legendary naturalist/ar st Robert Bateman. She is an award winning freelance graphic ar st and independent book publisher who has owned her own community newspaper and is a past OCNA award winner, judge and member. Andrea has worked in the newspaper/publishing industry for over 30 years.

2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

61

STUDENT FEATURE WRITING 9 ENTRIES 18 ENTRIES

HUMBER COLLEGE - EMMA POSCA A fantas c job highligh ng an important and heartbreaking issue, brought to life through compelling characters, with just the right amount of policy insight and analysis worked in. Good job working with interview subjects to get the human element while also providing important public policy context about the issue. Good ac ve descrip on regarding the interviewee holding back tears. A strong ar cle.

1

ALGONQUIN COLLEGE - ARTY SARKISIAN Fantas c story about a compelling character. The detail about the different speeds for mixing drinks or prepping orders at the pharmacy is such a nice detail and really brings us into the story. Lots of nice quotes and context from the people who know your main character.

2

DURHAM COLLEGE - NAVRAJ SANDHAR

3

Great insight into an important issue to the community and strong development of mul ple perspec ves on it. Your interview sources are well selected, and each bring an addi onal and valuable perspec ve. The fact about Oshawa being known as a Manchester in Canada is interes ng and insigh ul. There's room to get the main conflict involving Metrolinx into the ar cle a bit higher up to start to focus the piece around that, and then bring in some of the addi onal context.

Judge HONOURABLE MENTION ALGONQUIN COLLEGE - KERRY SLACK - A compelling character and well told story. The main area for improvement would be a li le more context about injury tape balls. Are these something a lot of athletes create? Or is this something unique? That would give us some more context and not leave us wondering about that. Either way, it’s a compelling item in the story. And you have nice quotes and insights from people who know your main character well.

GENERAL COMMENT Most of these demonstrated a strong sense of the communi es they cover and portrayed interes ng characters. Some also offered well developed themes, such as ‘coming home,’ or insights into local history. In some ar cles, there is an opportunity to improve wri ng style when working with quotes to set them up in the most effec ve way. In other ar cles, more depth and context about the topic or physical descrip on of places in the ar cles would add to the reader’s experience. Some ar cles, depending on topic, could have benefi ed from speaking to some addi onal experts for policy insights.

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Ian Campbell Deputy Digital Editor, The Hill Times, O awa, ON Ian Campbell is a reporter and the deputy digital editor for The Hill Times, covering party poli cs, finance, health policy, federalprovincial rela ons, and the impact of new digital technologies on democracy. He holds a master’s degree in journalism from Carleton University and has previously worked as an online reporter with CBC Newfoundland & Labrador. Campbell has also worked as a theatre producer and educator. His adapta ons of Richard III and Henry V for young audiences are published by Playing with Plays.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

STUDENT NEWS WRITING 21 ENTRIES

CENTENNIAL COLLEGE - MARIA PALACIOS An insigh ul inves ga on into the story of a refugee and the struggles they faced to find peace in Canada. With so many refugees a emp ng to escape wars, injus ce, and land rendered in-inhabitable by the climate crisis, Palacios’ ar cle sheds light on a worsening global crisis.

1

UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO - NADIA KHAN A very powerful and well-wri en account of the students’ reac on to the standings at Hagey Hall.

Thought provoking in terms of how it reveals the pain and suffering caused by hate and hate crimes.

2

CENTENNIAL COLLEGE - SIN WAN CHIM

3

An excellent and thought-provoking ar cle that looks deeper into the record number of candidates running in the 2023 mayoral race in Toronto. Very well-researched and wri en.

Judge

HONOURABLE MENTION LOYALIST COLLEGE - VICTORIA CAMINHA - A very interes ng and well-wri en ar cle about one of the many challenges Ontarians face in terms of access to basic health care. Considering the provincial government is responsible for health care, the ar cle would have been more informa ve if efforts were made to include MPP Todd Smith and Minister of Health Sylvia Jones’ perspec ves on what their government is or isn’t doing to improve access to health care.

UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO - ABHIRAJ LAMBA - A very well-wri en and insigh ul inves ga on into the hate-mo vated stabbings at Hagey Hall. The layout was a bit confusing to read, especially on a cell phone, however overall, it was an excellent ar cle.

GENERAL COMMENT With so many talented student journalists in this category it was both a pleasure and a challenge to judge. While each of the ar cles submi ed were excellent, there were a handful that stood out for a variety of reasons. One thing that each of the winning entries had in common was the excep onal amount of research that went into them. Congratula ons to the winners, and thank you to all of the writers for sharing their work.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

Nate Smelle Managing Editor, Bancro This Week & Bancro Times, Bancro , ON Nate Smelle first served as the editor of Bancro This Week from 2012-2015. He was also the editor of The Voice of Pelham from 2016-2017 before returning to Bancro , where he is currently serving as the editor of Bancro This Week and The Bancro Times. Throughout his career he has also worked as a freelance journalist with publica ons such as: Now Magazine, The New Tanner, County Life and Haliburton County Echo.

Sponsored by: Ontario Journalism Educators Associa on 2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

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STUDENT PHOTOGRAPHY 16 ENTRIES

ALGONQUIN COLLEGE ALEX LAMBERT

1

This photo is deligh ul. The unexpected intensity on the clown's face, and the raised fist adds to the humour. The shallow depth of field and offcentre composi on makes it even more compelling and draws the reader in. Who could resist wan ng to know more?

ALGONQUIN COLLEGE ARTY SARKISIAN

2

This is a great photo and a great story by Arty Sarkisian. The photo serves its purpose beau fully in that it creates curiosity in the viewer and makes them want to keep reading. The joyful ex p re s s i o n o n t h e b a r te n d e r ' s fa c e complements the headline and bundles it into a sa sfying package.

LOYALIST COLLEGE HEATHER WALDRON

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This photo perfectly captures the sheer ela on of victory.

The photographer was able to capture the expression of the en re team, even with the focal point being the face of one player. The blurred image of the coaches cheering in the background is an added bonus.

Judge Trina Berlo Editor, The Creemore Echo, Creemore, ON

GENERAL COMMENT The future of print media is in good hands with this display of student talent. The category of student photography proved challenging to judge due to the high caliber of skill. The top entries stood out because the photographers immersed themselves in the ac on and drew the reader in. Overall, the photographs demonstrate their creators' dedica on to capturing something ar ul and impac ul, some mes capturing what feels like that singular moment that tells the whole story. Well done. Keep up the good work.

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Trina Berlo holds a BAA in photography from Toronto Metropolitan University and has been working as a community reporter/photographer since ge ng her first paid newspaper job at The Ontarion, the independent student newspaper at University of Guelph in 1999. In her current role, she is editor of The Creemore Echo.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

BEST COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY NEWSPAPER WEBSITE 7 ENTRIES

ALGONQUIN COLLEGE - ALGONQUINTIMES.COM

1

Great use of colour throughout website. Good choice of typography, very user friendly site. Pages are well laid out with sec ons and very easy to navigate. Fantas c mobile site. Shows up on mul ple devices very well. Well wri en stories, very college community driven, diverse, and interes ng.

CENTENNIAL COLLEGE - TORONTOOBSERVER.CA Very clean and well sec oned out. Colour scheme is fi ng for the style. Stories are easy to find and a great read. Good font choices. Very responsive website works well on mobile, tablet and desktop. Great naviga on. Keep it up. Social media, aka Twi er could use an update. It's all we've got now in the news world, so use it.

2

DURHAM COLLEGE - CHRONICLE.DURHAMCOLLEGE.CA

3

Looks very clean and precise. It is a li le busy, with a lot of featured sec ons. Love the 'What's happening now?' It really draws you into some featured stories. Very responsive site. Plenty of writers, the content is thorough and well wri en. Naviga on is good. Colour scheme is nice. Fantas c that you s ll have your social media, keep it going. I do also like that there is a student login.

Judge Heather Kennedy

HONOURABLE MENTION HUMBER COLLEGE - HUMBERNEWS.CA - Great mobile site. The site is a li le slow to load, with a bunch of widgets. Great sec oning is very easy to navigate. Love the use of videos and podcast! Keep up the good work. Easy to read typography. Fantas c editorial content, very intriguing and informa ve stories. Honourable Men on because of the Humber news videos.

GENERAL COMMENT Colleges and Universi es are our future journalists. I was honoured to review their newspaper websites. I found a lot of them to be very visually appealing and very user friendly. If you’re curious what our future writers, editors and publishers are up to have a look at the wide variety of sites that these school newspapers have created.

ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION

Publisher, The Highlander, Haliburton, ON Heather Kennedy started her newspaper career right a er gradua ng from the Graphic Design program at Georgian College in 2010. She worked produc on for many years and is now the Publisher of The Highlander Newspaper, an award-winning newspaper in the Haliburton Highlands.

2023 | OCNA BNC Awards Results

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The OCNA Hall of Fame recognizes and celebrates individuals who have made exemplary contribu ons to Ontario’s community newspapers. Inductees are respected community news professionals who have remained passionate about the industry throughout challenges, opportuni es, and changes. They are leaders who have helped community newspapers adapt and grow.

To view all our Hall of Fame inductees, please visit OCNA’s Hall of Fame page.

JACK EVANS Re red Journalist, Belleville Intelligencer, The Trentonian and The Picton County Weekly News Jack Evans has been a journalis c stalwart for over 65 years and is currently the dean of news in the Bay of Quinte area. Jack was bi en by the journalism bug during his me as a boy chorister in Belleville where, using a borrowed typewriter, he would peck out submissions on the chorus’s ac vi es for the Intelligencer. A er trying banking and radio journalism, Jack made his way back into print, including stops in Lindsay and Stra ord before returning closer to home as the Picton bureau chief for the Kingston Whig-Standard. Missing the camaraderie of the newsroom, Jack accepted the job of assistant editor of the Picton Gaze e and became an involved member of the community as a Kinsmen, church chorister and fundraiser. A er another sojourn into daily newspapering in Oshawa and Sudbury, Evans returned to Picton, this me as the Gaze e’s editor. He later served as news editor of the Trentonian, before finishing his career back where it began in Belleville wri ng for the Intelligencer. Although he re red in 1999, Jack’s columns con nue to appear in the area’s Postmedia publica ons. Throughout his career, Jack served as example of how to do journalism right, trea ng every story with the same high level of care and respect. “I cherish all my years as a journalist, the places, the stories and especially the colourful cast of people I have met,” Jack said. “I believe that when you do a story, it is not really your story, but that of the person you are wri ng about.”

BOB HALL Former Owner & Publisher, The Haldimand Press Awarded Posthumously

Bob Hall was born with ink in his veins and followed his father and grandfather into the newspaper industry. His parents purchased the Haldimand Advocate in 1931 with Bob coming along in 1937. By 16, he was maintaining the paper’s linotype machine and, a er his father’s death in 1965, took over as editor and publisher. In 1975 he amalgamated the Advocate with the Hagersville Press to form the Haldimand Press, which he owned and led un l he re red in 2014. He died in 2018 at age 82. A life-long resident of Cayuga, Bob truly loved Haldimand. He never wanted any accolades believing it was all part of the newspaper’s func on in the community. However, he was quite honoured to receive the Golden Quill Award for his 50 plus years in the community newspaper business. He was a keen member of several community groups and had a special place in his heart for the local Special Olympics Program and St. John the Divine Anglican Church in Cayuga. Bob saw the good in all people, even refusing to print the names of the accused in police reports. Each week, he penned a column “Bits by Bob” where he mused about life in Haldimand, and ended with “This Week’s Li le Gem,” an o en mischievous li le joke. Bob didn’t care much for fancy tles, o en referring to himself as “the oldest paperboy around.”

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ONTARIO COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS ASSOCIATION